Snow on highways, flooding in North Island
People in the Taupō area are preparing to evacuate as flooding from heavy rain overnight has caused the Tauranga-Taupō River to swell to breaking point.
Civil Defence say they're monitoring the river, in the central North Island, as homes north of the town of Turangi are potentially in danger of being flooded.
Civil Defence were door knocking at 70 properties at risk along the river, in the Oruatua/Te Rangiita area.
What a night!
At 7am the main band of heavy rain is off the country, with areas of on-and-off showers around the country today🌦️
Get the forecast for your place today at
https://t.co/Yjbq0jgaoz
pic.twitter.com/4xoWxIg6Es
— MetService (@MetService)
June 4, 2025
About 7.15am Taupō District mayor David Trewavas said the river was at the flood point.
Monitoring was under way and showed that the river was still rising, he said.
There had been no evacuations so far.
The ongoing heavy rain began yesterday afternoon and has led to a raft of weather-related callouts by emergency services across the North Island.
Emergency workers have been removing trees off powerlines and homes, and rescuing vehicles from floodwaters. Power is out to hundreds of consumers across the island.
In the Wellington suburb of Newlands, strong winds lifted the roof of a house and dropped it on another house in a different street.
Meanwhile, snow forced two highways in inland Canterbury to be shut for a time as the wintry blast sent temperatures plummeting in the South Island.
State Highway 8, between Lake Pukaki and Fairlie, and SH80, between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki-Mount Cook, were both closed overnight. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advised about 8am both roads had reopened but said motorists still needed to take care.
Road snowfall warnings for both Porters Pass and Arthur's Pass (SH73) lifted earlier this morning.
Update: many Watches and Warnings have been lifted this morning.
Still in place is an Orange Wind Warning for Wairarapa and Wellington, a Strong Wind Watch for Hawke's Bay, a Heavy Swell Warning for Kapiti-Porirua Coast, and a Road Snowfall Warning for Milford Road.
pic.twitter.com/xPbW8O6u0X
— MetService (@MetService)
June 4, 2025
A road snow warning is due to come into effect for the Milford Road (SH94) for 11 hours from 11am today. Chains must be carried from East Gate (Hollyford) to The Chasm from 6pm.
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APL/RNZ