MetService is warning of a "very active 24 hours" of weather across the country, with heavy rain forecast for parts of the country still reeling from severe weather three weeks ago.
Yesterday, the forecaster issued an orange heavy rain warning for Bay of Plenty east of Ōpōtiki and Gisborne/Tairāwhiti north of Tolaga Bay from 8pm Friday into Saturday.
In an update this morning, MetService extended the duration of some warnings, and issued an orange heavy rain warning for the Coromandel Peninsula from 11am today and the Bay of Plenty from Ōpōtiki westwards, including Rotorua and Gisborne/Tairāwhiti from Tolaga Bay southwards this evening.
Fire and Emergency NZ has sent two urban search and rescue teams to Hicks Bay and Te Araroa ahead of the weather, in preparation for any emergency situations.
MetService also issued a swathe of yellow watches for parts of the North Island, where intense humidity was already being felt across the country.
The watch for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and Waitomo kicked in at 9am.
Manawatū , the Tararua District, Taupō, Taumarunui, Taihape, Whanganui, the eastern hill-country of Taranaki and Hawke's Bay were also issued with rain watches beginning later today.
Meteorologist Heather Keats told Breakfast it was going to be a "very busy few days" ahead.
"We have a whole heap of thunderstorms happening today, and a whole lot of watches and warnings in place especially for the North Island," she said.
The regions being warned of torrential rain and severe gales - watch on TVNZ+
"There will be lightning with these thunderstorms too, but they're tied up in just persistent heavy rain as well. And that's going to happen this afternoon, tonight and tomorrow."
"We've got this low forming out to the northeast of the country. It's forming on a trough of low pressure, so there is lots of uncertainty as to how deep this low is and exactly the path it's going to take, but it's likely to form tomorrow... and then it will flick back over the northeast of the North Island on Sunday."
Keats said this "really starts to ramp up" around 6pm, prompting Tauranga City Council to temporarily close Adams Avenue, between Pilot Bay and the Maunganui Road roundabout today due to the threat of heavy rain.
MetService's website reported Auckland's humidity to be at 97% as of 8am today.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including heavy rain on the way for the weekend, and a huge sinkhole swallows a road. (Source: 1News)
"It's very humid. It's very muggy. It's going to be a very active 24 hours," Keats explained.
"I mean, driving to work this morning at 4.30am in Auckland, it was 22C, so very sticky, very muggy," she said.
Keats said these humid temperatures were not likely to stick around over the weekend, however.
"We're going to have a southwesterly change today around the South Island that is going to plummet the temperatures.
"Once again, we're looking at fairly average temperatures for the North Island for the weekend, nothing too warm, nothing too cold.
"Overnight, temperatures will be good to sleep in, but the South Island can see quite a cooling effect. So for Ashburton, today, it's 27C. By Sunday, they're down to 15C. By Monday, their high is 14C. So again, we're still swinging depending where those air masses are coming from."
Hawke's Bay campground evacuated
In Hawke's Bay, the district council said people staying at the Clifton Motor Camp 1 were asked to vacate the site within 24 hours following an initial independent geotechnical assessment highlighting an extreme risk of landslide.
"Because many structures are situated close to the hillside, there would be little warning and limited opportunity to escape safely," Hastings District Council chief executive Nigel Bickle said.
An inspection of at-risk sites was triggered by the recent landslide tragedy in Tauranga, Bickle said.
“This is not a knee-jerk reaction. Following the Tauranga event, we asked experts to reassess sites like Clifton using current information and risk standards. The advice is clear - the level of risk is extreme and cannot be ignored," he said.
Gisborne 'bracing' for more rain
Earlier, Gisborne District Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Breakfast the region was "bracing ourselves".
"Because the orange heavy rain warning is specifically for those areas that had severe rain three weeks ago, so those communities again will be under fire."
"So unfortunately again we are bracing ourselves to ensure we look after those communities, people are safe and they are ready for what is coming our way.
Stoltz said many were still disconnected, with more planned road closures to come including State Highway 35.
"There will be no convoys tomorrow, so people will not be able to travel there."
She said people were "anxious" because of the unstable ground and threat of more landslips.
'The wet weather is likely to increase the risk of landslides'
FENZ Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper said it was sending two USAR teams to the East Coast.
"Our deploying specialist teams are there to support our volunteer brigades and strengthen local capacity, helping communities stay safe and supported during this weather event.
"One team is prepositioned in Hicks Bay and the other at Te Araroa. Both teams are equipped with drones and rescue equipment," Ken Cooper says.
"The wet weather is likely to increase the risk of landslides in already saturated conditions and we’re asking the public to stay alert and take care."
Cooper said plans were being made to support communities on the Coromandel Peninsula as well.
Full watches and warnings list
Heavy Rain Warning - Orange
Coromandel Peninsula – 23 hours from 11am today to 10am Saturday.
Bay of Plenty from Opotiki westwards, including Rotorua – 24 hours from midday today to midday Saturday.
Bay of Plenty east of Opotiki – 30 from 6pm today to midnight Saturday.
Gisborne/Tairawhiti north of Tolaga Bay – 38 hours from 10pm today to noon Sunday.
Gisborne/Tairawhiti from Tolaga Bay southwards – 30 hours from 9am Saturday to 3pm Sunday.
Heavy Rain Watch
Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Waikato and Waitomo – 25 hours from 9am today to 10am Saturday.
Taupo, Taumarunui, Taihape, Whanganui, and the eastern hill‑country of Taranaki – 16 hours from 2pm today to 6am Saturday.
Hawke’s Bay – 51 hours from 3pm today to 6pm Sunday.
Manawatu and the Tararua District – 11 hours from 3pm today to 2am Saturday.
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