Campers soldier on in rain

It may be wet outside but the spirits of the Dalton family, from Christchurch, have not been dampened. Photo / Stephen Parker

Some campers have abandoned their holiday spots early as Rotorua is hit with more than 30mm of rain.

According to the MetService website, 20mm of rain fell across the city on Saturday and a further 11.4mm had fallen yesterday at the time the Rotorua Daily Post went to print.

Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park owner Jared Adams said some campers had left early but for the most part reservations had not been affected.

"We did have some people leave a couple of days early when it started to rain but their spots were quickly filled by other families looking for a place to stay," said Mr Adams.

"When we found out rain was on its way, we made sure all our campers knew before they checked in so they had the option of getting a refund.

"Most people have stayed and just soldiered on in the wet weather."

The rain has not worried all campers.

Adrian Dalton and his family are in the middle of a North Island tour, and say the wet weather is not going to put the brakes on their holiday.

"When we arrived it was raining so we had to put the tent up in that, but it hasn't put us off.

"We rang the site beforehand to see if we could get a cabin or something with a more permanent roof but we were not disheartened when we were told they were booked out."

While holidaymakers may have been put out by the rain, Rotorua/Taupo Federated Farmers committee member Neil Heather said it was the "best New Year's present we could have got".

"It has been bloody fantastic. Here in the valley we got about 40mm of rain, which was really good.

"It was soaking rain, too, which means very little of it ran off."

Mr Heather said the downpour would go a long way to help lessen the effects of the El Nino weather pattern.

"This latest rain will give us plenty of moisture in the coming weeks and if it rains this week, like it is forecast to, we will be set up for the next month or so."

The forecast for the coming week is a mixed bag with a couple of sunny days, but mainly showers developing into rain.

Rotorua forecast:

* Tomorrow: Mainly fine with southeasterlies dying out. Low 9C, high 20.

* Wednesday: Fine spells with afternoon northeasterlies. Low 12C, high 21C.

* Thursday: A few showers developing early. Northeast develops. Low 14C, high 19C.

* Friday: Rain with northerlies. Low 14C, high 21C.

* Saturday: Rain with westerlies. Low 11C, high 22C.

* Sunday: Showers with westerlies. Low 9C, high 21C.