More rainfall for Tasman as northerly moves to bring heavy rain for North Island

RNZ News

18 hours ago

There are heavy rain watches for Tasman and much of the North Island.
Photo:
Screengrab / MetService
MetService says there's been more rain for the flood-damaged Nelson Tasman district overnight, with more to come.
Two heavy rain watches at the top of the South Island cover the Tasman District north of Lake Rotoroa, and Marlborough northwest of the Awatere Valley.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane told
Morning Report
there had been upwards of 50 millimetres of rain in parts of the region in the last 12 hours
"Overnight, it was bit of a wet night. Obviously, not quite as wet as we've seen recently certainly," she said.
"But in the last 12 hours, in the ranges, but actually most of those areas in Tasman, have seen upwards of 50 millimetres ... and elsewhere, between about 20-40 millimetres.
"Definitely quite noticeable numbers that we've seen so far."
Makgabutlane said last night was that first wave of the weather expected, and the next big wave was forecasted for Friday, which is moving northerly across the country.
She said the difference between this big weather system moving through and the previous one was the speed of it.
She expected it to move quite quickly, but while still bringing decent rainfall.
On Wednesday, Tasman's deputy mayor said residents should hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
The region was recovering from widespread flooding that wrecked homes and farmland. Since the flooding, 15 homes have been yellow stickered and one has been red stickered. They were in the Motueka Valley, Tapawera and Wai-iti.
Elsewhere, there are heavy rain watches for much of the North Island.
Northland and Auckland are forecasted to be hit earliest, with a heavy rain watch from 6am Friday until 10pm.
The Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and Great Barrier Island can expect heavy rain from 9am Friday until 2am Saturday.
There is also a heavy rain watch for Taranaki about and north of the Maunga from 11am tomorrow and it is likely it will be upgraded to an orange warning Thursday morning.
MetService is warning of possible streams and rivers rising rapidly as a result of the heavy rain, which could cause surface flooding and slips.
A heavy rain watch has also been issued for the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua from 1pm Friday until 5am Saturday.
Makgabutlane said other heavy rain watches in the North Island could still be upgraded.
She said showers were expected on Saturday, but the bulk of the rain would fall
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