Cyclone Hale will hit the North Island tonight - earlier than previously forecast - and people are warned to brace themselves for gale-force winds and extensive heavy rain that could last until Thursday morning.
MetService is warning that eastward-facing parts of the North Island such as Coromandel and Gisborne that got drenched last week “are again in the firing line”.
Heavy rain warnings have been issued for those regions as well as many others including Hawke’s Bay.
People are urged to keep up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings and stay alert to bulletins from local authorities.
“Cyclone Hale is approaching the North Island today, bringing rain and strong east to southeast winds to many areas,” MetService says.
“This is likely to be a significant adverse weather even with widespread effects, and more areas are likely to be added as the system moves closer and its exact track and intensity becomes more certain.”
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has asked people to avoid unnecessary travel from tonight until Wednesday morning.
Acting national manager maintenance and operations Jaclyn Hankin said heavy rain could cause surface flooding, trigger slips and cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly, which would require the agency to close some state highways.
Auckland and eastern Northland is also under a heavy rain watch with forecast wind gusts of 75-85km/h which may result in speed reductions and lane closures on the Auckland Harbour Bridge tomorrow and Wednesday.
“Stay alert for unreported hazards, such as surface flooding, slips, fallen trees and branches, and downed powerlines,” Hankin said.
“If you must travel, slow down and maintain a greater following distance between your vehicle and the one in front.”
East Coast settlements are being warned they may be cut off for days, with Civil Defence urging North Island residents to keep an eye on the approaching storm with fears of widespread flooding and beaches hammered by dangerous 6m swells.
Everyone in the Coromandel is being warned to take shelter by this evening and be prepared to “ride out” the ex-tropical cyclone.
New Zealand’s first tropical storm of 2023 is expected to wreak more havoc across the top of the country from tonight with heavy rain to batter Gisborne and Coromandel, despite Hale being downgraded to a former tropical cyclone.
Easterly swells of up to 6m are forecast to pound east-facing coasts from Northland to Wairarapa on Tuesday and Wednesday. MetService warns it could lead to coastal flooding and erosion around high tide.
New Zealand Civil Defence today told people to make an emergency plan and prepare homes ahead of the tropical blast which was likely to bring heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous coastal conditions.
“If you are in Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay or the Coromandel Peninsula, stay up to date by checking MetService warnings and following your local Civil Defence Emergency Management group on social media.”
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence warned locals across the region to be prepared and have a plan in case they needed to evacuate.
“If you know you could possibly get cut off, make plans to move now or be prepared with enough supplies for three days including medication.
“If you’re camping in an exposed coastal area you should consider moving now.”
It said all unsealed roads across the region would be closed to heavy freight trucks from 8pm tonight.
Coromandel civil defence controller Garry Towler said workers were out clearing roads from last week’s storm but said extreme care was needed with further slips and tree falls possible due to saturated ground.
MetService’s latest models predict Cyclone Hale will hit the Coromandel Peninsula before travelling to the Waikato, through Taupō and hooking back towards Hawke’s Bay.
MetService said people should keep up to date with forecasts as more severe weather warnings and watches will be issued for weather associated with Cyclone Hale closer to the time.
Towler said the eastern seaboard in particular was in for a hammering early this week.
“We are not sugar coating this one, it will hit hard and likely cause coastal damage as well as the usual slips, surface flooding and power outages”.
The ex-tropical system was forecast to dump more than 230mm of rain in 24 hours with easterly gales and gusts exceeding 110km/h.
