Heavy rain and wind warning for the Coromandel
Heavy rain and wind warning for the Coromandel
for Thursday/Friday
MetService is forecasting
heavy rain and gale northeasterlies for the Coromandel from
early Thursday afternoon into Friday morning. We are setting
up our Emergency Operations Centre to monitor this weather
event and keep an eye out for flooding and slips.
A
rapidly deepening low approaching New Zealand is expected to
drop 100-150mm of rain over the Coromandel between 1pm
Thursday and 2am Friday, with peak intensities of 20-30mm/h,
especially from the evening.
Northeasterly winds are
expected to become severe from Thursday evening until dawn
on Friday, gusting to 120km/h in exposed places.
The
combination of strong winds and king high tides in
conjunction with the heavy rain may also cause coastal
flooding at streams and rivers, including in the Firth of
Thames.
The high tides are due
at:
Whitianga
Thursday 4 Jan at 09:16
and 21:33
Friday 5 Jan at 10:10 and
22:28
Thames
Thursday 4 Jan at 09:44
and 22:03
Friday 5 Jan at 10:37 and 22:57
Check
MetService for the latest
weather forecasts as this weather system develops.
"This
is looking like it will be a short, sharp weather event that
will pack a punch," says Garry Towler, our Civil Defence
Controller.
"Our message is if you're here in the
Coromandel, or planning to come, be prepared for this
weather and come already stocked up with supplies in case
you're cut off."
"There is potential for slips, downed
power lines and flooding in low-lying areas by streams and
in coastal areas," Mr Towler says.
"If you're camping in
a low-lying area, assess your area for potential flooding
and consider relocating to higher ground."
Waikato
Regional Council has set up an online hub for rainfall and
flood related information to help people more easily keep up
to date with severe weather events in the region.
It can
be found at waikatoregion.govt.nz/flood-room
We
will post regular updates on our Council's Facebook page as
well as on our website and email newsletters.
We'll
also include updates on known local Council road closures.
If you see a Council road that is impassable due to flooding
or a debris, call us on 07 868 0200. If the issue is with a
State Highway (eg, the Thames Coast Road, Kopu-Hikuai Road)
please tell NZ Transport Agency on 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44
44 49) to speak to the call centre team who can also provide
traffic and travel information.
Check NZTA's website before you
travel for the latest information about road closures or
work underway. You can also use their journey-planning
website www.onthemove.govt.nz to plan
the best route for your journey, taking into account known
issues and traffic on state highways.
To report a power
outage, contact Powerco
MetService is
forecasting finer weather after the low passes on Friday and
there are plenty of events on in the Coromandel. Check our
What's on in the Coromandel
listing.
And, although we're in for heavy
rain, we still have a Total Fire Ban in place until at least
8 February, which includes bonfires and fireworks. See
www.tcdc.govt.nz/fire for more
information.
The rain should help replenish reservoirs
and water tanks, but we're still facing water restrictions
due to high use. See what restrictions apply here:
www.tcdc.govt.nz/water