The sight at the New World supermarket in Devonport last night. Photo / Chris Gray
Shoppers at an Auckland supermarket faced a mad and very wet dash to the car late last night, after heavy rain flooded the carpark.
The parking lot at the New World Devonport, on Bartley Terrace, was left looking more like a swimming pool when heavy rain started to fall around 9pm to 10pm.
Local man Chris Gray shared photos of the area online, saying the latest downpour had caused a big flood at the site.
MetService reported a huge downpour over the city - with the greatest accumulation of rain over the last 12 hours totalling 34.5mm.
Around 9pm yesterday, up to 23.5mm of rain fell in one hour, meteorologist Tamara Vuksa said. Weather stations near Takapuna reported rainfall amounts of 27 to 28mm.
More showers are expected in the Auckland region and Northland this morning, thanks to a front over the North Island, before fine spells take over.
However, more rain is on the forecast in and around Auckland and northern parts of the North Island tonight. A high of 15C is expected in the City of Sails and an overnight low of 10C.
"Showers in the far north will turn to rain again. South of Auckland, we have rain and that will ease off...[becoming] fine spells this afternoon,'' Vuksa said.
SEVERE WEATHER WATCH:
There is a heavy rain watch for the Bay of Plenty, including Rotorua. The watch is in place until 11am and locals are being told to stay up-to-date with the forecast.
MetService said a period of heavy rain with thunderstorms was a possibility.
"Rainfall accumulations may approach warning criteria - especially about the eastern ranges.''
The warmest place to be in New Zealand today is the Far North, which is expecting a significant high of 16C.
The coldest parts of the country, at 6.30am, were the Southern Lakes and Central Otago areas, which had temperatures between -3 and 0C early today.
A front is due to move off to the east of the North Island today, before another front moves on to western parts of the country this evening and overnight.
WeatherWatch analyst Aaron Wilkinson said a northwesterly airflow would sit over New Zealand tomorrow and would mean wet conditions to the west and drier weather out east.
However, there would be a few spots of rain to the east coast of the North Island, he said.
"There may be long dry areas [developing] for a time in the afternoon then later in the evening or overnight, showers push into the west with a chance of heavy falls,'' Wilkinson said.
In the Bay of Plenty and central North Island, some rain will put a dampener on things this morning. There is a possibility that rain may become heavy before it eases.
In the South Island, rain or showers in northern areas are expected to clear by midday just before sunny conditions start. It will be mostly fine in other parts of the South Island.
"From afternoon, heavy rain pushes into Fiordland then reaching north Westland later in the evening," he said.
"Showers or spits of rain move into Southland later in the evening [and] overnight."
ROAD SNOWFALL WARNINGS:
There are a number of warnings in place for Lewis Pass (State Highway 7) and Milford Rd (SH94) until 11am.
For Milford Rd, rain may turn to snow for a period of time late this afternoon and this evening.
"Between 4pm and 9pm, 2 to 4cm of snow may accumulate on the road near the tunnel, with lesser amounts down to 800m.''
There are no road snowfall warnings for Napier-Taupō Rd, Desert Rd, Remutaka Hill Rd, Arthur's Pass, Porters Pass, Haast Pass, Lindis Pass, Crown Range Rd or the Dunedin to Waitati Highway.
TODAY'S FORECAST:
- Kaitaia: Significant high: 16C, overnight low 11C. Few showers, mainly this morning. Rain developing late evening.
- Auckland: 15C high, 11C low. Showers becoming isolated towards midday and fine spells increasing. Rain developing at night.
- Hamilton: 14C high, 8C low. Few morning showers then fine spells.
- Tauranga: 15 high, 9C low. Morning rain clearing. Northerlies turning westerly this morning.
- New Plymouth: 14C high, 9C low. Few morning showers then fine spells increasing. Rain at night, possibly thunderstorms.
- Palmerston North: 13C high, 7C low. Rain easing this morning and fine spells increasing.
- Wellington: 13C high, 9C low. Few showers clearing early afternoon then fine spells.
- Nelson: 14C high, 6C low. Fine until rain returns tonight.
- Christchurch: 13C high, 3C low. Fine. Northerlies returning this afternoon.
- Queenstown: 9C high, -1C low. Fine morning. High cloud developing this afternoon and brief rain this evening.
- Dunedin: 11C high, 5C low. Fine apart from rain late at night.
- Invercargill: 13C high. 1C low. Fine morning, high cloud from this afternoon and some rain in the evening.
Motorists are advised to take care around the area.