Persistent heavy rain yesterday and overnight has caused surface flooding in parts of Northland, and there's more rain to come.
MetService forecasters this morning issued a new severe weather warning for Northland, for bursts of heavy rain expected to continue until this evening, especially in the north and east of the region.
Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group said officials would be maintaining a close watch on the weather today, especially in the area north of Bay of Islands.
The Northland Regional Council reported that in the 30 hours from midnight Friday to 6am today, 188mm had already fallen on Kaeo's eastern hills, just a few millimetres short of the 196mm the area would usually receive for the entire month of August.
Over the same 30 hour period to 6am, 176.5mm had fallen on the Puhipuhi area near Whangarei, 139mm at Wiroa Road (Upper Waitangi River Eastern Lake Omapere), 123mm on the Glenbervie Forest, 122.5mm at Kerikeri, 89.6mm at Whangarei Airport, 86.5mm at Ohaeawai, 79.4mm at Kaikohe and 70mm at Otiria near Moerewa.
In the 12 hours from 9am to 9pm today, MetService has predicted a further 60mm to 90mm of rain on top of what has already fallen this weekend, with peak intensities of 10mm to 15mm an hour, easing later this afternoon.
Meanwhile, MetService has also issued a severe weather watch for easterly winds reaching severe gales in Northland this afternoon before easing this evening.
