The Whanganui River creeps into Kowhai Park after recent heavy rain swelled the river levels last month. More heavy rain is expected tomorrow night.
People planning outdoor activities in the central North Island high country should be aware of heavy rain coming and that rivers and streams will rise rapidly on Friday.
MetService has issued a severe weather warning of heavy rain for the area, including Taumarunui, which will impact on the Whanganui River
catchment.
A strong moist westerly flow will bring long periods of rain to the central North Island on Friday. During the evening a front should cross the area with a burst of intense rain. For the affected areas rainfall totals of 100 to 150mm are expected on Friday with the heaviest falls about Tongariro National Park.
Max Bensemann, the Whanganui District Council's emergency manager, said the river level at Pipiriki is currently 3.2m and the tides for the next few days are mostly 2.4m at the river mouth.
"If the predicted 150 millimetres of rain does fall, then the river can be expected to rise rapidly, similarly to the September levels. The first alarm level at Pipiriki is 9m and expected to rise further.
