A number of Auckland roads have been reopened as downpours and heavy thunderstorms clear.
What you need to know:
- Auckland faced downpours and heavy thunderstorms into the late morning
- Several roads were closed across the city, but have since been reopened
- Surface flooding from massive waves caused delays on some motorways
- Wind gusts in some parts of the North Island topped 115km/hr
11:40am - Northern Motorway lanes reopened
The two right lanes of the Northern Motorway after the Upper Harbour Highway onramp have been reopened after earlier surface flooding forced them to close.
10:20am - Oteha Valley onramp reopened
9:45am - Northern Motorway northbound lanes closed
Two right northbound lanes of the Northern Motorway after the Upper Harbour Highway on-ramp have been closed due to flooding. Delays are expected.
9:40am - Fire crews called to flooded houses, fallen tree
Dozens of houses in Auckland have flooded and a tree has fallen on a house in Whangaparaoa. Fire crews have been called to around 30 properties since 7am.
9:25am - Easterly gusts easing as rain band passes Auckland
Easterly wind gusts of 113km/h over the Hauraki Gulf are set to ease as the heaviest rain is now expected to move south of Auckland in the late morning, rather than mid-afternoon as initially forecast.
9:10am - Massive waves cause surface flooding
Significant waves over the eastern coast of the North Island are reaching around 3.5m, with maximum waves of 5m.
Surface flooding has been recorded on Esmonde Rd.
9am - Albany receives record rainfall
Albany on Auckland's North Shore received 31.6mm of rain between 7am and 8am, the third wettest hour at the location since records began nine years ago.
8:15am - Roads closed across Auckland due to flooding
On the North Shore, the Oteha Valley Rd onramp to the Northern Motorway is closed.
In Henderson, the northbound Lincoln Rd onramp of the North-Western motorway is flooded, causing delays.
Road closures are also in place along Tāmaki Dr between Ngapipi Rd and Solent St as high tide approaches and the risk of a king tide increases.
7:30am - Severe weather warnings issued for North Island, Nelson and Marlborough
Heavy rain and thunderstorms are set to hit Auckland from Whangaparoa to Manukau, and the Hunua Ranges.
Severe weather is also forecast for the Bay of Plenty west of Whakatane until late Sunday night
Gisborne south of Tolaga Bay, Hawkes Bay north and east of Wairoa, Northwest Nelson, and Eastern Marlborough are all expected to face heavy rain until the early hours of Monday morning
"Get ready for some rain #Auckland! This band of rain contains some heavy falls, with 14.4mm falling in one hour in Kerikeri and 11mm/hr in Kaitaia a few hours ago," MetService wrote on Twitter.
"NE winds are also picking up, with gusts over 90km/h reported throughout Northland and the Hauraki Gulf in the last few hours. Expect gales in the north today, and combined with high tides a risk of coastal inundation," MetService wrote on Twitter.
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