Intense Downpours Cause Problems

Issued by MetService at 01:35pm 02-Feb-2004

Intense Downpours Cause Problems

A major band of rain moving across the North Island today caused traffic problems in Auckland and Wellington.

"A northerly flow has been giving us a build up of tropically humid air for the best part of the past week," commented MetService Weather Ambassador Bob McDavitt. "Also there is a large area of low pressure in the Tasman Sea, bringing in cooler air. Taking moist air and cooling it is a good recipe for rain, and the clash between these two air masses brought thundery downpours over the weekend."

The most intense downpour measured by MetService was 33.8mm in one hour in Kaikohe late Friday morning, and downpours exceeding 20mm/hr were recorded this morning in Auckland, Hamilton, and Tauranga. The Taranaki Regional Council site at North Egmont had the highest reading with 350mm of rain on Sunday, and MetService sites in the Bay of Islands, Kaikohe, Auckland and Hamilton have all had over 100mm since Friday.

MetService meteorologists are forecasting that another rain band should cross the North Island on Wednesday, followed by cooler drier southwest winds.

For Waitangi Day, many may well welcome the return of lower humidity and sunshine. These are likely along with light winds for the North Island and northwesterly winds for the South Island.

ENDS

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