A truck slid off Whareora Rd on Wednesday, blocking the southbound lane to traffic for a portion of the morning. Photo / Michael Cunningham
A truck slid off Whareora Rd on Wednesday, blocking the southbound lane to traffic for a portion of the morning. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The next seven days are set to see Northlanders battle four seasons a day as the worst of the wild weather moves on.
Wednesday morning saw the last of the heavy rain, which send a truck sliding off Whareora Rd in Whangārei.
No one was injured in the minor crash, believed to have been caused by damage to the road from the recent wild weather.
MetService meteorologist Mmathaplo Makgabutlane said the worst was over - for the moment - and region would see bursts of sunshine, scattered showers and veils of cloud in the weeks to come.
"There's not going to be the wide-reaching sunshine the North is used to," she said. "Most places are going to have four seasons in one day – it'll be nice and sunny then the clouds will come through."
MetService say Northland can expect bursts of sunshine as seen in this picture taken by Arlene Baldwin of Port Nikau. Photo / supplied
People plotting outdoor activities should aim for earlier in the week as showers were expected to return by Sunday.
The improved weather was good news to Whitebait Connection Programme Coordinator Nicholas Naysmith. They have twice had to reschedule a riparian restoration of the Waitaua River near Tikipunga involving 130 Totara Grove School pupils and their families.
The Whitebait Connection program aims to get students and the community involved in freshwater experiences, including riparian planting for riverbank stabilisation and habitat restoration.
Naysmith said these events were paramount to encouraging conservation amongst younger generations.
"It's so important we get tomorrow's ecologists started today and we get them interested in taking care of the lakes and waterways."
The planting event was part of the Whangārei District Council's Blue - Green Network Strategy introduced in 2016.
WDC labelled the initiative as an "innovative holistic way of planning based around waterways (blue), planting and parks (green)". The two are managed together through a combination of infrastructure, ecological restoration and urban design to connect people and nature across the city.
The school outing of 130 child was originally intended to be held yesterday, then rescheduled for tomorrow and will now be held next Wednesday.
The trust also has a community planting day planned for this Saturday, meeting at the corner of Bush Haven Dr and Wairau Dr in Kamo – make sure to bring a spade.
While seeing the backside of the wet weather was welcome to some, it was disappointing to others - such as Northland farmers.
The worst of the heavy rains have passed for Northland as the weather forecast is set to improve over the coming week. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Northland Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Roger Ludbrook said farmers were pleased with the 160mm of rainfall over the last few days that started to sate the region's parched land.
"Unfortunately we need a lot more," he said. "I've finally got springs, they've just started to run again."
Ludbrook said the springs were usually flowing by the end of April but the region's longer stretch of dry weather had changed the timeline.
Niwa climate scientist Ben Noll previously told the Advocate big areas of high pressure system in New Zealand compounded by remnants of La Nina from the summer months could contribute to long periods of dry spell this winter.
"The soil moisture level in parts of Northland are still a bit down. Intermittent rain could be followed by long periods of dry spell that will bring chilly mornings," he said.
