Issued by MetService at 12:32pm 01-May-2006

Another Onslaught Of Heavy Rain

MetService meteorologists have issued a new severe weather warning for another period of heavy rain for Coromandel Peninsula on Tuesday. Thunderstorms are also being forecast to affect the north and east from about Kaitaia to Wairoa until Wednesday.

"The weather conditions over northern New Zealand are still unstable enough to produce intense thunderstorms," explained MetService Weather Ambassador, Bob McDavitt. "Another series of low-pressure systems is building in the Tasman Sea and will be crossing the North Island over the next few days. Coromandel Peninsula is likely to get the heaviest rain from this new onslaught during Tuesday evening."

Because the soil there is still soggy, this rain is likely to produce localized flash floods and surface flooding. The best way to prepare for this event is to check in advance that all culverts are clear of debris and to plan to minimize travel during the heaviest of the rain.

McDavitt said he was confident that the weather over the north would return to more normal conditions after Wednesday. "The recent weather pattern has allowed an unusual amount of tropical moisture to reach New Zealand."

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