Severe Weather Warning - Situation Update 1500 hrs, 6 July 2010

Roads

State Highway 2 Napier to Wairoa has reopened as debris was cleared to improve drainage from Lake Tutira. However any heavy rainfall periods may boost water levels in Lake Tutira and cover SH2 again.

There is still a likelihood of fresh slips and debris on both State Highway 2 Napier-Wairoa and State Highway 5 Napier- Taupo.

Extreme caution when driving is needed and any unessential trips should be avoided.

Listen to the radio for more information or before setting out check -
· NZ Transport Agency highway info on www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/index.html, or
· AA Roadwatch http://maps.aa.co.nz/traffic/roadwatch.
Rivers, rainfall and flooding issues

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council river level monitors have triggered annual alarm levels at 4 sites – Ruakaturi, Wairoa River, Hangaroa (all in the Wairoa district) and Mangaone Stream at Rissington (inland from Napier).

MetService have advised that another flux of heavy rain is moving south, and areas south of Napier (coastal and inland) are likely to experience increasingly heavy rainfall overnight.

Rivers are expected to keep rising throughout the region.

The Wairoa River is expected to reach an annual flood level but stay within its channel. However if rainfall intensifies overnight in the catchment, the Wairoa River may flood SH2 near the town.

Coastal

An easterly swell means Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hastings District Council Civil Defence are monitoring Haumoana, Te Awanga and Clifton coastal communities because of a history of erosion and waves overtopping residential areas and roads. Easterly swells of 2.5-4m are expected to reduce as the weather system turns to a southerly, but on Thursday 5-7m southerly swells may impact Mahia beaches and beaches south of Cape Kidnappers.