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Rain is soaking much of the upper North Island today, with a band of wet weather moving east across the region.
The downpour is affecting Auckland, Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel Peninsula, and Waikato north of Raglan to Cambridge, with the heaviest rain expected between 9am and 2pm today (Tuesday 14 October).
Forecasters say rainfall could come close to warning levels before easing from the south later in the day.
Auckland remains under a heavy rain watch, with a moderate chance it could be upgraded to a full warning if conditions worsen.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says the front is delivering a quick burst of heavy rain as it moves across the upper North Island.
“The heaviest falls are likely through the late morning and early afternoon before easing from the south. While the worst of it should clear by mid-afternoon, some areas may still see brief heavy showers later today,” she says.
From midweek, the weather looks set to improve, with partly cloudy skies and only a few light showers expected on Wednesday and Thursday, and fine conditions returning by Friday.
Meanwhile, police are advising motorists to avoid travelling through the Awakino Gorge on State Highway 3 due to flooding and slips affecting the area.
There is significant surface flooding and a number of slips on SH3 just north of Awakino, making the road impassable in places.
Police are aware of some vehicles that are unable to move as a result of the conditions.
Contractors are on site working to clear the slips and make the road safe.
Motorists are urged not to travel through the Gorge area until the road has been cleared and reopened.
