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There is a severe storm watch in most parts of the country with possible heavy downpours, hail over 2 centimeters in diameter, and potentially even a small tornado.
Between 1:00 p.m. M. And 3:00 p.m. M., 1636 lightning strikes were counted across the country, and MetService warned there was more to come. The severe storm watch runs until 10 p.m. Sunday.
Jim and Vicky Pollard / Supplied
Huge storm cloud looms over Timaru Saturday night.
The worst affected areas were expected to be in the North Island, Otago and Canterbury, including Christchurch.
Harmful hail and a small tornado were possible in the easternmost parts of Taupō and Taihape, as well as Hawke’s Bay and the Tararua district.
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Hail hit Timaru for five minutes which started in Duntroon and has been moving southeast.
Are you affected by floods or heavy rains? Email [email protected]
New Zealand Fire and Emergencies (Fenz) shift manager Jill Higginson said fire crews are on standby at Waimate, between Queen and Glasgow streets, waiting for the rain to subside before clearing the floods.
Value Village owner Suzie Paulin said she had been placing towels under her store doors to prevent water from entering.
He said the water was almost knee-high.
“The whole city is under a lot of water.”
Bejon Haswell / Stuff
Fire crews are ready to pump water from Waimate’s Main Street Sunday afternoon.
Stuff Visual journalist Bejon Haswell is in Waimate and said hail was pouring down on the city.
The Bay of Plenty had experienced heavy and persistent rains and was also under severe thunderstorm watch.
The floods have closed State Highway 2 near Whakatāne, between Kutarere and Taneatua. There is no detour available and drivers are asked to avoid the area.
On nearby Waiotahi Valley Rd, flooding blocks the road and smaller cars are nearly submerged, according to a driver.
There is a slip on the road in Waimana Gorge, between Taneatua and Waimana.
Road closures still affect many parts of Otago and motorists were urged to check conditions before heading anywhere.
Rachael Comer / Stuff
Dark clouds over Timaru on Sunday afternoon.
Police confirmed that rescuers found two homeless people reported late at Jubilee Hut, north of Dunedin, in the heart of the heavy rain zone, at 4 a.m. Sunday.
They were airlifted to Dunedin around 10 a.m.
MetService Meteorologist Tom Adams said the rain, concentrated in northern Otago and parts of Canterbury, was caused by a slow decline engulfed in semitropical air.
Rain gauges and rain radar showed heavy downpours in the 36 hours to midnight Saturday with a “significant number” of places registering 100 millimeters to 200 millimeters in that period.
A rain gauge between Dunedin and Ōamaru registered 214 mm.
The weather system moved east of the South Island on Sunday morning, but it was not leaving room for blue skies.
MetService warned that eastern Otago was still expected to receive rain on Sunday and that some would be heavy with some thunder and possible localized downpours.
As of Sunday afternoon, a heavy rain watch was in place for parts of Buller, where thunder was possible.
Lyn Dolly / Supplied
Heavy rains flooded Ruru St in Whangamatā.
Three state highways remained closed in Otago on Sunday: SH90 from Waikoikoi to Tapanui, SH87 from Kyeburn to Outram and SH83 from Otematata to Aviemoredue.
Numerous local roads were also affected by surface flooding, slipping, landslides and debris.
“As people look forward to resuming their travels this morning, we encourage them to check road conditions before departing, abide by all road closures and detours, and allow extra time to navigate to their destination,” said Matt. Alley, controller for Emergency Management Otago Group said.
Middlemarch residents were asked not to flush their toilets until further notice after a power outage Sunday afternoon.
Dunedin City Council (DCC) said lightning cut power to Middlemarch around 2.30pm
“This means that the city’s sewer system will not be able to operate as efficiently as possible and if the rain falls back in the area there is a risk of sewage flooding,” he said in a statement.
Power was not expected to be restored until at least 4:30 PM.
“The DCC is preparing an emergency generator for the sewer system as soon as possible, but in the meantime, it is asking Middlemarch residents not to flush their toilets.”
SCOTT HATTON / Supplied
Lightning strikes Avondale, Auckland, on Sunday.
Some councils had also issued boil water advisories for communities whose water supplies had been affected by the floods, including Otematata and Duntroon in the Waitaki district, while those in the Waihemo area were asked to conserve the water. Water.
The Waitaki District Council also closed the Kakanui Bridge after engineers raised concerns about the water load created by a log jam.
“As more debris continues to hit the log jam, the impact is felt through the entire structure and the water level will need to drop before equipment can be brought in to start cleaning this up.”
The bridge was closed to cyclists, motorists and pedestrians until equipment could be brought in and the log jam was cleared. There was a detour available.
Supplied / Stuff
Roads and bridges in central Otago have been closed due to flooding from heavy rains. In the photo: Scotts Lane was closed due to flooding.
Meanwhile, a harsh slow motion was bringing heavy rain and thunderstorms to Bay of Plenty and Kawerau, with downpours of up to 40mm per hour possible.
“Rains of this intensity can cause surface and / or flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas such as streams, rivers, or narrow valleys, and can also cause landslides,” MetService warned.
“Driving conditions will also be dangerous with flooding on the surface and poor visibility in heavy rain.”
After an influx of people to Waikaia for Christmas, the North Southland township was almost deserted again.
Brodie Jaeger / Supplied
The floods near Opotiki are almost submerging small cars.
Waikaia camp owner Greame Coats said three-quarters of the campers left the camp Saturday afternoon due to flooding.
Coats had driven to Piano Flat, north of the city, to check the water level, and it wasn’t long before he realized it was raining heavily.
It was reminiscent of the 1984 floods, when the city had experienced heavy rains, he said.
Once the rain settled down, Coats hoped the campers would return, as most had left their caravans behind and many were regulars who stayed for the summer.
Waikaia Brown Owl Cafe owner Lindsay Brown said most of the campers left before flooding blocked the only way to get in or out of town.
The store was well stocked for residents and the few remaining campers in Waikaia, and the roads were expected to be clear by around 3 p.m.
“Today there will not be a great demand for ice cream.”
There had been a similar amount of rain compared to last February’s flood, but Brown hadn’t noticed the same amount of debris causing damage.
He said he wondered if tarseals on the roads would lift when the floods subsided, as it did in February.
Bejon Haswell / Stuff
Ankle-deep water on Waimate Main Street Sunday afternoon.
Heavy rain and hail in Timaru, Waimate
Hail hit Timaru for five minutes amid a severe storm warning that started in Duntroon and has been moving southeast.
Fire crews are on standby to pump water from Waimate’s main street as torrential rain and hail hit south Canterbury on Sunday.
MetService issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Duntroon at 1.30pm, updating it during the afternoon as the weather moved over the Waimate district and it was near Timaru, St Andrews, Pareora and offshore east of Timaru at 4.07 pm
The storm was expected to bring heavy rain and hail, and was now moving east.
Value Village owner Suzie Paulin said she had been placing towels under her store doors to prevent water from entering.
“When people walk by, it pushes the water against the door,” Paulin said.
He said the water was almost knee-high.
