Flash flooding inundated streets in Wairoa as severe storms battered the North Island on Saturday, prompting multiple MetService severe thunderstorm watches and heavy rain warnings.
MetService said conditions were “favourable for severe thunderstorms” as a low-pressure system tracked across the island on Saturday and Sunday.
Heavy rain warnings were also in place for Gisborne/Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay.
Gisborne could see 110–170mm through to Sunday morning, especially in the ranges, with localised downpours reaching 40mm an hour, while Hawke’s Bay was forecast to get 90–140mm, with up to 170mm possible in the Wairoa District.
Police said urged motorists around Gisborne to avoid non-essential travel after multiple reports of surface flooding along with several closed roads in the region.
"Police are urging anyone who must travel to exercise extreme care, especially as night falls.
"Drivers are also warned to be especially careful when driving through fords or surface water."
Earlier today, severe thunderstorm warning was first issued for Wairoa at 11am and renewed twice before later being lifted early in the afternoon.
The thunderstorms moved east-southeast and were accompanied by torrential rain, leading to surface flooding in low-lying areas. Wairoa District Council urged residents to closely monitor live river levels, rainfall and flood conditions, sharing updates via social media.
A local resident told 1News floodwater in his yard was “as deep as my red band gumboots".
Funnel clouds were spotted in several areas across the North Island, including near Paeroa and at Parua Bay near Whangārei.
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From late morning through to tonight, severe thunderstorms were expected to affect the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua, with downpours reaching 25 to 40 millimetres an hour.
Similar conditions were forecast to develop this afternoon across Waikato, Waitomo and Taupō, particularly south of Hamilton and north of Tūrangi, before easing in the early evening.
Further north, Auckland and parts of Northland were also in the firing line. Unstable conditions this afternoon could spark severe storms, especially east and south of Kerikeri.
Holiday hotspots in line to be drenched - MetService
MetService forecaster Gerard Bellan told 1News people in the affected areas should stay cautious.
"We can have downpours, flash flooding... hazardous driving conditions as well," he said.
He said MetService had a report of 33 millimetres of rain in the hour up to 11am at Wairoa.
Bellan noted that the various watches and warnings affected many of the North Island's holiday hotspots. Most were expected to be lifted later on today, with the heavy rain warnings in Gisborne and Hawke's Bay persisting till Sunday morning.
"People just need to be mindful of keeping an eye on our website and so on, because we can have one of those warnings pop up in any of those yellow severe thunderstorm watch areas."
Full list of weather warnings and watches
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua – 12 hours from 11am to 11pm Saturday
Waikato, Waitomo, Taupō – 6 hours from 1pm to 7pm Saturday
Northland, Auckland – 6 hours from 1pm to 7pm Saturday
Hawke’s Bay – 7 hours from noon to 7pm Saturday
Heavy Rain Warning – Orange
Gisborne/Tairāwhiti – 22 hours from noon Saturday to 10am Sunday
Hawke’s Bay north of Napier – 18 hours from 9am Saturday to 3am Sunday
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