FLASH FLOODS HIT HAURKAI PLAINS & PARTS OF WAIKATO

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FLASH FLOODS HIT HAURKAI PLAINS & PARTS OF WAIKATO

28/07/2007 12:00pm

– Incredible downpours from embedded thunderstorms

– Streams and rivers made dangerous

– Storm heading east and south

Torrential rain has caused a number of flash floods over many parts of the Hauraki Plains and both northern and eastern Waikato this afternoon.

TRN’s head weather analyst Philip Duncan says many streams and rivers are very dangerous and a number have burst their banks. “A normally small stream has burst its banks very quickly this afternoon flooding some parts of the Hauraki Golf Club. Many farms in the area are also underwater this afternoon and rivers could rise further with some further heavy, possibly thundery showers moving in”.

Duncan says deep flood waters near Maramarua are “lapping against State Highway 2 just down from the Castle” however the road is fully open and unlikely to be closed.

The heavy rain, which peaked around noon, was accompanied by rumbles of thunder but the wind has stayed relatively quiet. MetService was warning of gales for many northern regions today including Auckland however the Weather Watch Centre yesterday dismissed the chances of gales today saying that the centre of the storm was too far off shore to create gale force winds on land. “Most regions didn’t even come close to gale force today or last night” says Duncan.

The heavy rain is now heading east and south and more heavy bands of rain are moving back in to Coromandel and the Hauraki Plains. MetService has a number of rain warnings out including Coromandel Peninsula, the Gisborne ranges, and now parts of Southern Canterbury and Eastern Otago.

The Weather Centre is advising motorists to take extreme care across the Hauraki Plains and Eastern Waikato due to further surface flooding from heavy showers, and is also warning of the potential for slips across the Coromandel Peninsula. “Driving may also be extremely hazardous across Eastern Bay of Plenty and Gisborne with surface flooding and poor visibility likely this afternoon and tonight”.

WEATHER NEWS HEADLINES:

– at 3PM – Heavy rain falling across Rotorua and Taupo.

– At 3PM – warm temperatures in Northland with clearing skies, however further heavy downpours including some thunderstorms are possible tonight.

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