Warning for campers as floods tipped

Torrential rain will batter parts of the North Island today and recur all week, with possible flooding in Northland.

MetService has issued a severe weather warning for Coromandel today, expecting up to 90mm of rain from about dawn until early evening. More warnings were expected for Northland and northern Hawkes Bay.

MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said heavy rains could flush out campers taking school holidays and cause problems for grape-growers in Coromandel and Gisborne who were picking their harvest. He said campers should take care today, as rivers were expected to rise sharply.

Mr McDavitt said the worst of the rain was expected in the mountain ranges in the North Island, and urban areas might only experience showers.

The heaviest rain is expected today and tomorrow with another bout of downpours likely on Friday.

The most exposed areas will be northern and eastern parts of the North Island, and possibly northern and western parts later in the week.

Weatherwatch spokesman Philip Duncan said the rain would be welcome in some areas, but could be so heavy as to cause flooding.

Gale-force winds were expected in Northland and Coromandel, and conditions would be gusty in the Hauraki Gulf and Eastern Waikato.