Bay of Plenty: Waitangi weekend rain challenges February record in Bay town, more heavy rain warnings issued

Waitangi weekend 2022 was marked by wet weather in the Bay of Plenty. Photo / File

Waitangi weekend's rain was 'one for the books' in the Bay of Plenty - with more to come, Metservice says.

Metservice meteorologist Dan Corrigan said the 24 hours from 9am Sunday was Whakatāne's second-wettest February day in almost fifty years, with 117mm of rainfall recorded.

"That is a lot of rain to have fallen over a short period," said Corrigan.

"One for the books."

Corrigan said Whakatāne usually had around 84mm of rain over the whole month of February.

Metservice has issued heavy rain watches for tonight around the Bay of Plenty.

East of and including Whakatane, an orange-level heavy rain warning applies until midnight. Metservice expects between 30mm and 50mm to accumulate on top of what has already fallen.

West of Whakatane, including Rotorua, a heavy rain watch applies until 10pm today. Periods of heavy rain are forecast, and Metservice said rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.

Between 10am on Sunday and 3pm today, Whakatāne recorded 141.2mm of rain. Between 60mm-100mm had been predicted.

In the same time period, 84.5mm of rain was recorded in Rotorua, 57.1mm in Tauranga and 43.2mm in Taupō. Galatea, near Murupara, recorded 62.4mm.

Fire and Emergency northern communications shift manager Josh Tennefather earlier said there were four trees blocking roads in the Bay of Plenty, three of which had been cleared.

He said the power authority was attending a fallen power line on Huratai St in Koutu, Rotorua this morning.

He said a tree blocking Waiapapa Rd near Mangakino had been moved enough for traffic flow to resume, but was still awaiting the council to be cleared completely.

He said trees blocking SH38 near Kaingaroa Forest and SH33 near Moriwa had been cleared, as well as a tree blocking Acacia Rd in Lake Okareka.

Police also confirmed a car had flipped on Marine Parade in Mount Maunganui earlier today.

Frogs made their way inside Papamoa East houses to hide from the rain. Photo / Samantha Motion

Meanwhile, some Pāpāmoa East residents have reported some unusual long weekend visitors - tiny green frogs spotted in gardens and even on and inside homes, during the wet weather.