MetService forecasters are predicting bursts of intense rain and thunderstorms across Northland until evening, adding to more than a month’s worth of rain that has already fallen on parts of the region in less than three days.
Graeme MacDonald, the Northland Regional Council’s Hazard Management Team Leader, says the addition of further rain to already swollen rivers and creeks means people should be alert to the possibility of further flooding and related road closures.
Mr MacDonald says high river levels in the Kaitaia and Awanui areas are already of concern and further heavy rain could see the closure of Larmers Rd, which joins State Highway One, just south of Kaitaia, later today.
Regional Council figures show that in the 54 hours to 6am today, 180mm of rain had fallen on the northern side of the Mangamuka Ranges near Kaitaia – almost twice the 100mm of rain the Far North usually receives for the entire month of February.
The Kaikohe area too had received a lot of rain – 157.4mm over the same 54 hour period - and authorities were already receiving reports of flooding in the Kaihu area near Dargaville.
Mr MacDonald says the MetService is warning of another 50 to 80mm of rain in some areas in the 10 hours from 8am to 6pm today, with intense downpours and thunderstorms potentially delivering up to 30mm rain an hour.
He says farmers who have not already shifted stock from flood-prone areas to higher ground should do so and motorists were being urged to take particular care on the region’s roads, especially with many youngsters returning to school for the first time this year today.
Meanwhile, Council Hydrologist Dale Hansen says most the 180mm rain that had drenched parts of Northland had fallen in just 30 hours over Waitangi Day and early today.
Typically, rainfall for the entire month of February varies from a low of about 100 mm in the Far North through to a high of about 140 mm in higher areas like Tutamoe, north of Dargaville, and the Puhipuhi Hills, north-east of Whangarei.
Mr Hansen says in the 54 hours to 6am today:
- 180mm of rain fell on the northern side of the Mangamuka Ranges near Kaitaia
- 157.4mm on Kaikohe
- 133.5mm at Tutamoe, north of Dargaville
- 127.5mm on Kerikeri’s Western Hills
- 120mm on the North Hokianga
- 106.5mm at Paparoa
- 100.5mm at Opononi.
“Over the same period, Whangarei City escaped reasonably lightly with 47.5mm.”