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More rain is forecast for many places today after wild weather cut power to thousands of homes, caused slips and road closures, shut schools and flooded rivers.
The front that brought heavy rain to many parts of the country yesterday continues to slowly track down the country today.
Flooding caused by heavy rainfall overnight in and around the Coromandel has closed roads in multiple locations, road authorities say.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is advising motorists in the area that State Highway 25 around the Coromandel is closed between Hikuai Settlement Rd and Tairua.
SH25 COROMANDEL - ROADS CLOSED - 6:10AM Due to significant rainfall overnight #SH25 around the Coromandel is closed in multiple locations. Delay your journey until further updates can be provided. Check our Traffic Map for current details: https://t.co/eN9sycyVq5. ^TP pic.twitter.com/J3LyY75VUF
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) July 25, 2022
"The road is being monitored and will remain closed until water recedes," its website reads.
"Delay your journey until further updates can be provided."
Motorists are told there is no detour available and that they should avoid the area until another update is provided.
State Highway 33 between Rotorua and Paengaroa is blocked by a slip with the road expected to be closed for most of the day.
Due to snow, SH8 between Omarama and Tarras (Lindis Pass) is currently CLOSED. Please consider an alternative route or delay your journey. ^JP pic.twitter.com/x0bKUyXx36
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Canterbury & West Coast (@WakaKotahiCWC) July 25, 2022
MetService forecaster Aiden Pyselman said the weather in the upper North Island would be "better" today but it would still be wet - with isolated showers that pick up from the afternoon expected.
"It's more showery in nature, not this heavy, persistent rain that they've had [yesterday]."
The front continues to track down the country, bringing rain to places like Canterbury and Otago today, where a number of MetService-issued weather warnings are in place.
Check out that moisture plume from the tropics (🟣) ~ more heavy rain to come over the next 24-36 hours 😵💫
The focus will shift into the eastern South Island on Tuesday, where flooding is possible.
12 places have had a record or near record wet July - a number that will rise. pic.twitter.com/ZJR5mdmN9d
As a low-pressure system descended on New Zealand yesterday from the subtropics, widespread rain soaked many areas of the country while snow coated parts of the south.
In Northland, 137mm of rain was recorded in Kerikeri yesterday, pushing the month's total so far to more than 500mm, making it the second wettest July on record since 1978.
Meanwhile, the Kaeo River, which is prone to flooding, spilled on to State Highway 10 after heavy rainfall yesterday, while a number of schools in Northland, including Kaeo Primary, were closed.
Flooding in Kaeo, Northland as a weather system bringing heavy rain and strong winds travels down across New Zealand. Photo / David Fisher
Regional police urged motorists to avoid non-essential travel due to surface flooding, slips and low cloud across the region.
The storm damaged a key power line in Northland yesterday, cutting power to up to 2000 properties in Waitangi and Paihia, while more than 11,000 customers in Auckland were also without power as crews worked through torrential rain and strong winds to restore electricity.
The cellar-door manager at Westbrook Winery in Waimauku, Gary Keller, said the power outage resulted in the business having to close early and cancel bookings.
"The outage really affects every part of the business - cellar door, patio restaurant, kitchen and the winery. No phones, no refrigerator, no other comms, nothing really works without power," Keller said.
"We have a small generator for emergencies which we used for essentials.
"Thankfully, Mondays are usually quiet days, so that part wasn't really much of a problem."
Vector said that by 4.30pm power had been restored for more than 9500 customers and staff would work through the night to reconnect remaining properties.
Several roads were closed – including a stretch of the Hibiscus Coast Highway near Waiwera, north of Auckland, and Hikuai Settlement Rd on the Coromandel Peninsula between Tairua Rd and Augusta Drive, due to fallen trees.
Meanwhile, a Watercare spokeswoman said all five dams in Auckland's Waitākere Ranges were full and spilling due to heavy rainfall.
These dams were much smaller than the dams in the Hunua Ranges, so they filled up more quickly, the spokeswoman said.
State Highway 25 between Kūaotunu and Whitianga was closed due to a slip. Photo / Supplied
Auckland's dams are currently 94.7 per cent full, compared with the historical average of 84.3 per cent at this time of the year.
Speed limits were reduced on the Auckland Harbour Bridge yesterday as a precaution while the wild weather also led to a series of road accidents during the Auckland morning commute, including a car rolling on the Southern Motorway.
At one point, more than 20 weather watches and warnings were in place nationwide.
Tomorrow morning, a front moves southwards across South Canterbury and Otago, bringing heavy rain
Pyselman said another front moves across the country on Thursday, bringing rain and showers to many areas of the North Island.
"The low's centre, at this point, looks as though it's going to cross the top of the South Island, central New Zealand on Thursday, and during Friday that low finally moves away. We've got it with us for most of the week."
