Further downpours for Wellington, Auckland braces for strong gales

Heavy rain has triggered reports of flooding across Wellington as severe weather continues to lash the lower North Island. Motorists have been urged to take extra care, with NZTA warning drivers to watch for surface flooding and hazardous road conditions as intense downpours continue. The wild weather is expected to affect much of the North Island throughout the weekend, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and the risk of thunderstorms to parts of Wellington and Auckland. According to MetService, Kelburn and west Wellington received 40mm of rain in 30 minutes on Saturday morning. Meteorologist Paris Marshall said torrential rain was expected to move further northeast across the city during the afternoon, and advised Wellington residents to stay alert. “40mm in half an hour can cause flash flooding, can cause streams to rise rapidly. Some decent sized hail is moving through as well so stay inside and wait as it passes," she said. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Wellington this morning, but had since been lifted. North Auckland was also expected to get hit by the weather, with a strong wind watch in place for Auckland and Great Barrier Island. Marshall said the wind was the biggest worry for Northland and Auckland, but to also anticipate possible storms. “Watch for those southwesterly winds. For those exposed places they will be getting potential gusts of 100kph, which is enough to flip a trampoline or take down power poles," she explained. “North Auckland are under a moderate thunderstorm risk, and if they occur, they are expected to be producing heavy rain. That’s around 10-25mm per hour." MetService said the wind watch had a moderate chance of upgrading to a warning. There were multiple road snowfall warnings across the country, with highlighted areas including SH1 along Desert Road, SH7 on Lewis Pass and SH73 along Porters Pass. Heavy rainfall overnight, combined with <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/07/25/severe-magnitude-59-quake-strikes-near-taumarunui/\">this morning's 5.9 magnitude earthquake near Taumarunui,</a> had also caused several road slips and closures across the central North Island. State Highway 3 (SH3) through Awakino Gorge between Mokau and Piopio was closed due to a slip. State Highway 43 was also closed between Whangamōmona and Taumarunui, but remained open betwene Stratford and Whangamōmona. "Geotech crews will be out at the slip sites this morning, assessing the roads. Please avoid the area and delay your travel," NZTA said. The Auckland Harbour Bridge was also forecast to be battered by strong winds throughout Saturday. "Speed restrictions and lane reductions are likely, while temporary full closures may be required if severe winds gust over 90km/h. Caution is advised, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists. Please drive with care and expect delays." <b>Strong Wind Watch</b> Auckland and Great Barrier Island – 11hrs from 8am to 7pm Saturday. Southwest winds may approach severe gale strength in exposed places. There is a moderate chance the watch will be upgraded to a warning. <b>Road Snowfall Warnings</b> Desert Road (SH1) – 6hrs from 4pm to 10pm Saturday. Snow is expected to settle on the road, with 2cm to 4cm possible near the summit. Lewis Pass (SH7) – 6hrs from 9am to 3pm Saturday. Snow is expected to lower to 600m, with 1cm to 3cm possible on the road. Porters Pass (SH73) – 4hrs from 9am to 1pm Saturday. Snow is expected to affect the road, with 3cm to 5cm possible above 600m and lighter falls down to 400m.