Bay of Plenty weather: Region braces for heavy rain, monster swells hit coastline

NZ Herald

29-07-2025

MetService said there was a moderate chance the orange warning could be upgraded to red, and warned streams and rivers could rise rapidly.
'Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.'
A strong wind watch is also in place for Coromandel Peninsula, eastern Waikato and Bay of Plenty, with northeast winds approaching severe gale force in exposed places.
Rotorua Lakes Council said residents living by waterways that are prone to rising during heavy rain were urged to stay on high alert.
'Particularly those along the Ngongotaha Stream who should consider staying elsewhere tonight, as a precaution, until the weather event passes,' the council said.
🌊 Big waves rolling in 🌊
Strong northeasterly winds are driving up swells along eastern coastlines of the upper North Island 💨
Significant wave height: the average peak-to-trough height of the highest one-third of the waves. This is what you'd generally 'eyeball' the wave… pic.twitter.com/COAnIU6lB9 — MetService (@MetService) July 28, 2025
'If you don't have somewhere you can stay, contact Rotorua Lakes Council on 07-348 4199.
'Rotorua Lakes Council Civil Defence staff are closely monitoring the developing situation, in collaboration with Bay of Plenty Civil Defence staff, and taking steps to ensure they can respond if/as needed.'
Bay of Plenty Regional Council said in a statement it had activated its flood room at 9.30am and was liaising with local councils regarding the impact of the rain across the region's major schemes: Waioweka-Otara Rivers Scheme, Whakatāne-Tauranga Rivers Scheme, Rangitāiki-Tarawera Rivers Scheme, Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme and the Rangitāiki Drainage Scheme.
A spokesperson said as of 11.30am, there were no warnings in place. However, this was likely to change overnight.
'The flood room team do communicate directly with landowners or the occupiers of properties on low-lying rural land next to major rivers within or adjacent to the river floodplain, should rivers expect to reach first and second warning level,' the spokesperson said.
'The warnings are pre-recorded voice messages sent via an automated system to a person's landline and/or mobile phone. These notifications ensure these landowners have time to prepare, for example, moving stock to higher land.'
A first warning level means the river level has reached its normal channel capacity. A second warning level means the river has overtopped the channel banks and has flooded the area next to the river.
This is still well within the flood defences around the river, such as a stopbank or floodway.
Atmospheric River (AR): a long, narrow region in the atmosphere that transports vast amounts of water vapour, often from the tropics to mid-latitudes.
This AR is the fuel for today's heavy rain & impacts associated with heavy rain (e.g., flooding & slips). pic.twitter.com/0vztOtmwvq — NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) July 28, 2025
The heavy rain has also prompted the Department of Conservation to close tracks to Coromandel's Mautohe Cathedral Cove and urge visitors not to go to the famous beach.
DoC Coromandel senior ranger Matt Flynn said it was prudent to close the tracks given the weather system's expected impact.
'DoC's priority for this site continues to be the safety of visitors and managing visitor risk. Poor weather exacerbates the landslide and rockfall risks at Mautohe Cathedral Cove.
'We strongly discourage people from visiting the cove while this weather system moves – the conditions make it unsafe.
'We do not want people getting hurt.'
Flynn said the Mautohe Cathedral Cove closure came into effect from 6am today and would be in place until further notice.
Sea swells are expected to increase with the weather system and anyone planning to visit Mautohe Cathedral Cove by boat should check sea conditions first and consider the risks.