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Auckland residents are being warned to prepare for potential power outages, as it looks like a weather system will bring a rainy Wednesday to the North Island.
A low, which crossed the Tasman Sea from Australia’s Tasman coast earlier in the week, will bring heavy rains to the North Island and upper South Island on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Rain is forecast for the Auckland region on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, and northeast winds are forecast to intensify through Tuesday evening.
MetService has issued a heavy rain advisory for the Bay of Plenty and Taranaki, north of Eltham, from 1am Wednesday through late afternoon and evening.
According to MetService, there is a “decent potential” for downpours (25 millimeters of rain in an hour) in the Auckland region on Wednesday, something the area has not recorded since April 2017.
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Power company Vector said more response teams and storm management teams have been dispatched to the region and will be able to respond quickly if the need arises.
“We want to make sure Auckland locals are prepared in the event of outages,” said Vector Network Field Services Head Marko Simunac. “If high winds cause damage to power lines, our goal is to restore power as quickly as possible, while ensuring the safety of our crews and the public.”
Affected areas may have their power turned off remotely as a public safety precaution, Simunac said.
METSERVICE
Rain will fall around the North Island on Tuesday, but the strongest drops are expected through Wednesday.
Bay of Plenty and northern Taranaki are expected to experience the heaviest rains in this system. MetService expects them to drop as much as 100mm in the interior of the Bay of Plenty from about 1am Wednesday, continuing through the day. In other parts of the region, they could drop as much as 70mm and peak intensities could reach 20mm per hour.
Taranaki, north of Eltham, could see rain from 1am until Wednesday, with up to 100mm in most places, but up to 180mm on Mount Taranaki. The maximum intensities can reach 30 mm per hour.
“Heavy rains can cause streams and rivers to grow rapidly. Flooding and slipping on the surface are also possible, and driving conditions can be dangerous, ”said MetService.
Andy Jackson / Stuff
MetService is forecasting up to 180mm of rain over Mount Taranaki on Wednesday.
Other parts of the central North Island – Taupō, Taumarunui, Waitomo, Waikato south of Hamilton and Tongariro National Park – could also see heavy rain starting Tuesday night and running through Wednesday. Rain also started falling in Northland on Tuesday morning.
The Coromandel Peninsula could receive some heavy rains, but for a shorter period, starting overnight and lasting until 7 a.m. Wednesday.
MetService has issued heavy rain alerts for the Coromandel Peninsula, Taupō, Taumarunui, Waitomo, and Waikato south of Hamilton, the Ruahine Range, the Tararua Range, the Takaka Hill, and the Arthur Range, and the Kaikōura Coast and Ranges.
MetService forecasts that the rain in Tauranga will be heaviest in the early hours of Wednesday morning. In Hamilton, the rain could be heavy at times from Tuesday afternoon and with periods of rain through Wednesday.
New Plymouth is also forecast to receive heavy rains beginning Tuesday afternoon. The heaviest rain is forecast for Wednesday morning with strong north winds.
Wellington is expected to rain in the next two days, but nothing significant is forecast.
Christchurch is expected to receive some late drizzle on Tuesday and then some rain on Wednesday, but nothing particularly strong, as winds from the east pick up through Wednesday afternoon.
How to prepare for severe weather and power outages:
- Stay away from downed power lines and damaged electrical equipment.
- Beware of fallen tree branches
- Turn off appliances on the wall to avoid possible damage
- Have a flashlight on hand with spare batteries
- Have at least one phone that does not depend on electricity to function
- Make sure your electric vehicle is charged, if you have one
- Have alternative fuel available for cooking
- Tie loose items on your property
- Make sure you have enough bottled water if it’s in the water tank
