Red warning for heavy rainfall issued for Gisborne, New Zealand

New Zealand’s MetService upgraded its Heavy Rain Warning to the highest level – Red – for Gisborne area. This is the highest severe weather warning and indicates that people must take immediate action to protect people, animals and property from the impact of the weather. The warning is in effect through Sunday morning, June 25.

The MetService, New Zealand’s national meteorological service, raised its Heavy Rain Warning from Orange to Red for the Gisborne area today, urging residents to take immediate protective action. This update, issued at 15:26, is expected to be in force over a long time period, extending through to Sunday morning. The red warning indicates severe weather conditions that could significantly impact people, animals, and property, requiring immediate action and preparedness to follow the advice of official authorities and emergency services.

The warning was issued in response to the expected heavy rain, particularly today and from Friday evening to Sunday. MetService warned that this amount of precipitation could cause dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. As some rivers are already reaching critical levels, travel disruption due to slips and floodwaters is anticipated, potentially making some roads impassable and leading to possible isolation of communities.

In terms of rainfall accumulation, the meteorological service predicts 200 to 300 mm (7.9 to 11.8 inches) of rain about and north of Tolaga Bay, 100 to 150 mm (3.9 to 5.9 inches) about the ranges farther south, and 50 to 100 mm (2.0 to 3.9 inches) about coastal areas south of Tolaga Bay. These figures are over and above the rain that has already fallen.

Thunderstorms are also a possibility, with peak rainfall rates of 15 to 25 mm/h (0.59 to 0.98 inches/h). MetService meteorologist John Law said, “We know that this is not the news the people want to hear, and our thoughts are with everyone in the area. Our team is monitoring the situation very closely and working with local authorities, so they have the most up-to-date information.”

In addition to the Red Warning for Tairāwhiti/Gisborne, a number of other areas remain under Orange Heavy Rain Warnings. These include the Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty west of Te Puke, Hawkes Bay – from the Ruahine Range, Kaweka Forest Park, and Hawke’s Bay from State Highway 5 southwards, and eastern Marlborough. Residents in these areas are advised to heed advice from their local civil defense.

Residents in the affected regions are encouraged to remain vigilant, adhere to safety measures, and stay informed of the latest weather developments.

References:

¹ MetService Red Rain Warning issued for Tairāwhiti/Gisborne – MetService – June 22, 2023

Featured image credit: JMA/Himawari-9, Zoom Earth, The Watchers. Acquired at 03:40 UTC on June 22, 2023