Hawke’s Bay Regional Council took a deliberate and precautionary approach as heavy rain, strong winds and hazardous coastal conditions affected the region between Friday 14 and Monday 16 February.

Chair Sophie Siers says: “Weather events like this are a reminder of how quickly conditions can change. Our responsibility is to be prepared for the higherimpact scenarios, even when forecasts later ease.”

“Throughout this event, Council staff were focused on readiness, monitoring and clear communication, so the region was well placed no matter how conditions unfolded.”

Ahead of the weekend, the Regional Council began enhanced monitoring of rainfall, river levels and coastal conditions, working closely with MetService, Hawke’s Bay Emergency Management and partner agencies. Staff and contractors were placed on standby, with a full operational team available across the region.

“We know people are understandably alert to severe weather after recent years. That’s why we take a cautious, proactive approach and communicate early with the community about what we’re watching and why,” says Ms Siers.

As forecasts were updated, actual rainfall totals proved lower than early worstcase scenarios, and modelling showed major river systems were likely to remain below alert levels. Despite this, the Regional Council maintained an active response posture due to the ongoing risk of shortduration, intense rainfall and rapidly rising sidestreams.

Throughout the event, Council teams:

• Continuously monitored rivers and smaller catchments that can rise quickly after intense rain
• Inspected pump stations, drainage assets and flood control schemes
• Cleared debris and checked critical infrastructure to ensure systems continued to perform as designed
• Monitored river mouths and coastal conditions during periods of strong winds and large swells
• Maintained a 24hour duty management team and readiness to escalate if required

The Regional Council also provided regular updates via social media, sharing information on rainfall totals, forecast changes, river behaviour and coastal hazards, while emphasising the need for vigilance overnight and into Monday morning.

“A lot of this work happens behind the scenes and often overnight,” says Ms Siers. “Our teams stayed focused on monitoring, readiness and coordination across the system. Thanks to all involved in this mahi.”

By Sunday night and into Monday, forecasts showed a gradual easing of conditions. While no widespread flooding occurred, the Regional Council continued to stress that the event remained serious and thanked the public for staying informed and cautious.

“Preparedness matters. Even when impacts are less severe than first feared, being ready is what protects our communities and builds confidence,” Ms Siers saya.

The Regional Council is now returning to businessasusual monitoring while continuing to keep a close watch on forecasts, particularly areas with saturated ground and hazardous coastal conditions.

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