Kaitaia locals: Debbie wasn't so bad

Kaitaia's Whangatane spillway came into play yesterday, albeit at much less than full capacity.

The Far North appears to have been spared the worst of the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Debbie, although a warning of more rain to come was still in place yesterday afternoon.

The Northland Regional Council said no major issues were reported in Northland on Tuesday night, although flooding and slips caused some roads to be closed, or partially closed, for a time.

According to the council's hydrology team the heaviest of Northland's rain fell in the Whangarei and Kaipara districts, with the Far North - especially north of the Mangamukas - generally receiving less.

The heaviest fall recorded over the 30 hours to 6am yesterday was 145.5mm at Tara, east of Mangawhai, Poroti receiving 130.5mm and the hills east of Ngunguru 127mm.

The Northland Age recorded 34.5mm in Kaitaia in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday, followed by 20mm to 9am yesterday.

A brief burst of heavy rain around midday yesterday dropped another 4.8mm, taking the total for the month so far to 83.8mm. The 87-year average for April in Kaitaia (according to Northland Age records) is 111mm.

WeatherWatch had a message for Kaitaia late yesterday morning, however, warning of intense downpours with possibly severe thunder storms and the risk of a "small" tornado.
The weather did force the cancellation of Sir John Kirwin's mental health presentation in Kaitaia on Tuesday evening, however, and may have played a part in a crash on Mangakahia Road, just south of Kaikohe aerodrome, that night.

The car was found off the road with the lights on and the engine running but no one present, Kaikohe's Chief Fire Officer, Bill Hutchinson, saying surface flooding could have contributed.