Cars ignoring road closed signs on Grenada St and powering through flooding. Photo / George Novak
Cars ignoring road closed signs on Grenada St and powering through flooding. Photo / George Novak
Heavy rain drenching the Bay not only bothered cruise ship passengers but has delayed the kiwifruit harvest and caused minor flooding in Tauranga.
MetService issued a severe weather warning for the area and at 5pm yesterday 40.8mm of rain had fallen in Tauranga, with at least another 50mm expected to fall overnight.
The tail end of Cyclone Debbie was not finished with the country and heavy rain was expected to continue until Thursday morning - from 11am yesterday to 6am Thursday 200mm to 350mm of rain could accumulate in Tauranga.
Cars ignoring road closed signs on Grenada St and powering through flooding. Photo / George Novak
Peak intensities of 25mm to 45mm could fall and thunderstorms were possible.
Emerald Princess was one of the last cruise ships visiting Tauranga for the season and passengers coming off the ship did not look impressed as they disembarked wrapped tightly in raincoats yesterday.
The wet weather was a concern for kiwifruit growers - Papamoa kiwifruit grower Rob Thode said the rain was delaying harvest.
"It's really not too good, this time of year we really need colder weather and drier conditions to move the fruit along," he said.
Mr Thode said kiwifruit growers needed cold nights and less rain so kiwifruit could begin producing more sugar and dry matter to become tasty enough to harvest.
Cars ignoring road closed signs on Grenada St and powering through flooding. Photo / George Novak
While heavy rain fell on the Bay, temperatures remained relatively high. Yesterday was 22C and 18C overnight. Today MetService predicted a high of 23C and a low of 17C overnight.
"When it's very wet we can't harvest anything and then it takes the fruit a couple of days to recover from downpours," Mr Thode said.
The fruit was getting behind where growers wished it to be at this time of year, however forecasts for the remainder of the week looked promising.
By Friday the rain was expected to ease and temperatures would drop to a high of 21C and an overnight low of 12C. Saturday would be sunny with a high of 21C and low of 13C.
By 3pm yesterday 40mm of rain had fallen, forcing the closure of a residential Papamoa street.
The section of Grenada S would be reassessed this morning by Tauranga City Council.
The section between Sandhurst Dr and Sunrise Ave was coned off yet cars continually ignored the signs and cones, driving through the flooding before council contractors completely closed off the road.
