Heavy rain, blustery gales set to hit eastern parts of the North Island

Heavy rain and blustery gales are set to hit eastern parts of the North Island this week.

MetService has issued an orange heavy rain warning for the Gisborne area from midnight Tuesday until 1pm Thursday.

The national weather forecaster warns that heavy rain could cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are possible, and driving conditions could be hazardous.

Rainfall accumulations of 140mm–200mm are possible, especially north of Gisborne city. The heaviest falls are likely during Wednesday afternoon and evening when intensities could reach 15mm– 20mm per hour.

The wet weather is due to a low moving slowly down the North Island. The low will bring strong and moist southeasterlies over part of the island until Thursday. Rain is expected to become heavy over eastern areas, and southeasterlies may approach severe gale force about eastern Bay of Plenty, MetService said

A heavy rain watch has been issued for Hawke’s Bay, north of the Napier-Taupo road. The watch is in place from 6am Wednesday to 3pm Thursday.

A strong wind watch is in place for Bay of Plenty, from Opōtiki eastwards. The watch is in place from 1am Wednesday to 8am Thursday.

MetService states that southeast winds may reach severe gale in exposed places.

In the South Island, strong southeast winds will also whip across the upper areas of the island on Wednesday. Much of the week will be cloudy in Canterbury and Marlborough, but all other South Island regions are expected to get ample sunshine.

The subtropical low is forecast remain slow moving mainly north of the North Island from Thursday through to Sunday, bringing with it a prolonged period of rain and heavy falls to eastern areas of the island, and possible severe gale southeasterlies to parts of the central North Island.

On Thursday, heavy rain is on the cards for Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, and southeast winds could possibly reach severe gale from eastern Bay of Plenty to Taupō, Taihape and Taranaki.

On Friday, heavy rain is forecast for Hawke’s Bay. On Saturday and Sunday, a risk of heavy rain over eastern areas remains.