Rainfall maps

UPDATE – 10:30am Saturday:

A heavy rain warning remains in effect until 7 pm Saturday for the Ruahine Range, Kaweka Forest Park, and Hawke's Bay from State Highway 5 southwards.

Expect 40 to 70 mm of rain to accumulate about the Ruahine Range and Kaweka Forest Park, with lesser amounts near the coast. This is in addition to what has already fallen. Peak rates of 10 to 15 mm/h.

During a heavy rain warning precipiotation may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.

A heavy rain watch remains in effect until 6 pm Saturday for Hawke's Bay north of State Highway 5with periods of heavy rain, and accumulations that may approach warning criteria.

Rainfall past 24 hours to 7am - 24 June 2023

5 – 164 mm, heaviest in the ranges

Wairoa past 24 hours to 7am - 24 June 2023 

Hawke's Bay past 24 hours to 7am - 24 June 2023 

Catchment summary as of 7 am Saturday, 24 June

Wairoa – A small rise in the river level, but not a major concern. The Nuhaka area had more rain early morning and is likely to have some surface flooding. River levels expected to slowly fall starting later today.

Esk – remains low at present.

Heretaunga Plains – Awanui Stream rising slowly. Will have a slow steady climb over the day, flowing into Karamu.

Ngaruroro/Tutaekuri – Current water levels are within river berms.

CHB - remains steady around 5-year level (i.e. up to the stopbank toe).

HBRC have cameras at several sites that can be observed here.

Road closures

State Highway 50 between Ongaonga and Tikokino is closed due to surface flooding. The road is expected to be closed for several hours. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and follow diversions.

Previous update: Rainfall past 24 hours to 6am - 23 June 2023

30 – 180 mm, heaviest up in Ranges

Past 2 days

Up to 240 mm in ranges, with under 100 mm elsewhere.

Past 7 days

Up to 425 mm in ranges, 50-150 elsewhere

Due to very wet conditions, this rain, which is not very extreme, has resulted in surface flooding and river levels rising to between mean annual and 20 year (Waipawa)

Wairoa and tribs – currently below alert, did reach mean annual last night

Esk – quick rise and fall of around 2m from normal, currently still about 1-1.5 m higher than normal

Tutaekuri – mean annual levels reached, which is about 2 m above normal.  Currently around 1.5 m higher than normal

Ngaruroro – slow steady rise, and likely to continue to rise during the day.

UTT – Waipawa River at Waipawa – rose to 20 year level – bank to bank, dropped by only 200 mm overnight.

Middle TT to Lower TT – mean annual, will likely rise to 5 year later today.

Forecast

Still another 150 – 200 mm expected in ranges over next 3 days.

50-100 mm expected if foothills and plains.

Anticipating river levels (Wairoa/NG/TK) to rise again on Weekend, probably hover around 5 year levels – bank to bank, at toe of stopbanked rivers, or full main channel, apart from Waipawa, with highest rainfall in that upper catchment causing sustained levels between 5 year and 20 year – causing levels to rise part way up stopbanks.

Wairoa past 24 hours

Wairoa past 2 days

Forecast