Weather: North Island braces for heavy rain, thunderstorms, gales and 5m-high waves

A tropically charged deluge is to hit the top of the country tonight bringing a day of rain laced with thunderstorms, potentially damaging wild winds and big seas along the North Island’s eastern coastline.

MetService this morning upgraded alerts across the North Island, with heavy rain watches and warnings from Northland to Hawke’s Bay. A swath of strong wind watches includes Manawatū and Horowhenua in the lower North Island.

Forecasters are warning the worst of the weather is reserved for tomorrow, when some parts can expect up to 200mm of rain in just under 24 hours.

The Coromandel is bracing for 100km/h winds with Civil Defence warning the storm is likely to “pack a punch”.

There is a warning for eastern regions to prepare for flooding, slips and dangerous driving conditions.

Rain is expected to start falling in Northland at 9pm with heavy rain and thunderstorms and not expected to let up until 4pm tomorrow.

🌧🌧🌧

Localised high intensity rainfall is possible tomorrow 💧

Hourly rates of 15-30mm are forecast, back to back hours of that will likely lead to surface flooding.

Keep up with the forecast and take it easy on the road if there's heavy rain around 👀 pic.twitter.com/TZHC88Gfyk

— MetService (@MetService) November 9, 2022

The rain will be matched by strong winds that will reach gale force in exposed areas.

Auckland is also in the firing line with a strong wind watch from this evening north of the Harbour Bridge lasting for 22 hours from 6pm coupled with a heavy rain alert from midnight.

MetService says the City of Sails could get heavy downpours with thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon.

The forecaster said the stormy weather would sink south down the island across the day.

On the flood-ravaged East Coast, up to 200mm of rain is expected to drench the ranges north of Tolaga Bay while Coromandel Peninsula is in line 180mm from later tonight.

MetService also warned that waves as high 5m would pummel the east coast from Northland to Bay of Plenty.

The forecaster said that coupled with heavy rain the coastlines would be vulnerable to damage.

Residents should be prepared and keep safe.

Over the next 48 hours or so, moisture from the tropics 🏝️ will find its way into the upper-half of the North Island.

This will fuel rain, some heavy, as well as thunderstorms. Strong, possibly damaging, wind gusts are also likely.

Friday will likely have the worst weather. pic.twitter.com/N6qV0h3RkV

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) November 8, 2022

Thames-Coromandel District Council officials warned residents to prepare for gales with 100km/h gusts, which were forecast to start later tonight and blow into tomorrow afternoon.

The peninsula was also expecting up to 180mm of rain in the ranges with torrential downpours tomorrow afternoon and evening.

Civil Defence controller Garry Towler said while the storm wouldn’t last long it was expected to “pack a punch”.

“Power outages, slips, surface flooding and fallen trees could disrupt wide areas of the Coromandel so take time today to clear drains, secure outdoor furniture and ensure you have enough supplies, including batteries,” he said.

Niwa earlier warned moisture from the tropics would fuel this latest dousing.

As well as heavy downpours there would be electrical storms and possibly damaging winds.