Across the North Island there are reports of exceptionally high tides flooding roads, car parks, footpaths and areas normally well above the high tide mark. It started last night and has repeated itself Friday morning.

Air pressure has dropped to 986hPa in Auckland and the lower the air pressure the more the sea rises.  On top of that the strong winds funnel more water into some harbours and we also have king tides – it’s a triple whammy for some North Island coastal areas.

The air pressure will rise again later today with winds turning more westerly and easing back tonight for many in the north with the low crossing the lower North Island late today and weakening.

Here are some of the latest updates from WeatherWatchers across the North Island:

“A huge storm surge combined with a 10:30 am king tide and the NW gale is starting to affect Thames. The Thames Coast Rd (SH25) from Tararu to Tapu is closed”. Photo sent in to WeatherWatch.co.nz by Andrew Ball. 

That water is moving! And coming back out of the storm drains. #Tauranga @WeatherWatchNZ pic.twitter.com/vR5FHo04AG

— annikakes (@annikakes) January 4, 2018

It’s technically high tide now in #Tauranga – it’s up over the Daisy Hardwick footpath @WeatherWatchNZ pic.twitter.com/OGWjRcMaJW

— annikakes (@annikakes) January 4, 2018

Wind gusting from NW, from up Whangarei harbour, against the tide which still has 2m to rise #OneTreePoint pic.twitter.com/UtYvjSIhbO

— DaveN (@davne) January 4, 2018

 

– WeatherWatch.co.nz ongoing coverage