With parts of the region already experiencing almost a month’s rain since late Sunday night, small streams and rivers from Kaeo to Whangarei will be running at high levels and are expected to cause flooding problems throughout most of today.
Graeme MacDonald, the Northland Regional Council’s Emergency Management Team Leader, says farmers in potentially affected areas are being advised to move stock to higher ground if they have not already done so, with motorists also warned to take special care.
“Flooding will also potentially occur in the lower river flats of the Kaeo and Wairua catchments, the Mangakahia River catchment, Tangiteroria flats, Kawakawa River, and the Towai area.”
Mr MacDonald says the MetService today issued another severe weather warning predicting further bursts of heavy rain over parts of Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula.
“The MetService says there is a moist northeast flow ahead of a slow moving front parked over northern Northland. The heaviest falls are likely to be about the eastern hills from Bay of Islands to Albany, with another 40 to 60mm in some places from 8am until this evening, though further spells of rain are expected until Friday.”
Mr MacDonald says Regional Council staff will be monitoring the situation closely but adds people should keep a close watch for rising river levels and potentially hazardous driving conditions. He says they should also keep up to date with the latest forecasts.
Meanwhile, he says Regional Council figures show at 7.30am today up to 32mm of rain an hour was falling on the Puhipuhi area, on the eastern hills south of Kawakawa. At the same time, 18mm an hour was being recorded in the Glenbervie hills, east of Whangarei.
In the period from midnight on Sunday 3 July until 7.30am today 156mm of rain had fallen on the Puhipuhi area, 111mm on West Kerikeri, 98mm at Ohaeawai and 91mm at Kaeo. Over the same period 74mm had fallen on Kaitaia, 57mm at Whangarei and 41mm at Maungaturoto.
“Typical Northland rainfall figures for the entire month of July range from a low of about 120mm in the Far North through to a high of about 250mm in higher areas like Tutamoe, north of Dargaville, and the Puhipuhi Hills, north-east of Whangarei.”