Overview
- Localized downpours of 25–40 mm per hour west of Ōpōtiki prompted a severe thunderstorm watch through 3pm Tuesday.
- MetService has orange heavy‑rain warnings for Tauranga, Rotorua and Coromandel, with watches extending to Waikato, Taupō, Taranaki and parts of Auckland, Northland and Great Barrier Island through Wednesday.
- Bay of Plenty rainfall could total 150–200 mm by Wednesday evening, and officials say upgrades to red warnings are possible if bands intensify.
- NIWA projects 200–300 mm or more in about 24 hours over high West Coast terrain, with streams and rivers likely to rise rapidly to very high levels.
- The wet spell is expected to persist into Wednesday before easing later in the day, with muggy, warmer nights widely and comparatively dry, warmer conditions on the South Island’s east coast.