New Zealand’s deadliest storm in four decades, since the 1968 Wahine disaster, is continuing to cause headaches for forecasters as yet another rain band moves down Northland. The Radio Network’s head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the rain band is very active and unstable. “Rain clouds are building over northern areas again with places north of Whangarei getting another drenching. Those rain clouds are drifting south and after yesterday’s torrential rain we’re advising everyone north of Central Plateau and about Mt Taranaki to avoid all streams and rivers due to the risk of further flash flooding”.
Flash flooding occurs when high rainfall occurs over a short amount of time in one area. “This rain band, like yesterdays, is slow moving but not as large”.
Duncan says lightning counts have plummeted in the past few hours but that doesn’t mean the severe weather is over. “Conditions are again building north of New Zealand and the moist, tropical, air is still being pulled down from the tropics, near Fiji, this morning and creating some big rain clouds to the north”.
Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Coromandel, King Country, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and East Cape are all rated as “high risk” by our Weather Watch Centre for heavy downpours this afternoon or tonight.
Hey says surface flooding will also be an issue on the roads in these areas.
“Everyone across northern, western and central parts of the North Island should pay very close attention to the latest news and the latest weather forecasts and government warnings for the next 24 hours”.
Sunny weather is expected to return to much of the country this weekend thanks to a high.
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