Drivers warned to be careful this Queen's Birthday Weekend, heavy rain coming

Saturday, 2 June 2018

Drivers, be warned - heavy rain and flash flooding could make for treacherous driving this Queen's Birthday weekend, even into Sunday and Monday. (file)

Police were last night warning drivers to be careful on roads this Queen's Birthday weekend, as heavy rain and flash-floods are forecast for northern parts of the country.

A heavy rain warning is in place in Northland this morning, where between 110-130mm of rain is forecast about the eastern hills and north of Kaikohe.

Residents and those heading north for the weekend could also expect thunderstorms and localised downpours, according to MetService.

The weekend road toll remained at one last night, after a person was killed in a crash near Turangi just hours into the weekend holiday period on Friday night.

**READ MORE:

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* Wet weather for Coromandel, Waikato, Bay of Plenty over Queen's Birthday**

Police named the woman as 71-year-old Te Maramatangi Marion Anderson, from Turangi.

Emergency services were called to the crash at 5.40pm when a car drove into a ditch, colliding with a power-pole, bringing lines down across State Highway 47.

A 22-year-old man received multiple serious injuries after he was ejected from the vehicle, and was flown to Waikato Hospital.

Heavy rain, strong winds and possible thunderstorms were forecast across much of the upper North Island.

Another man had since been discharged from Taupō Hospital.

Meanwhile in Auckland, two people were seriously injured in a crash in Northcote, on Auckland's North Shore, yesterday morning.

And in the Waikato a woman was airlifted to hospital after she crashed into a tree.

WET WEEKEND

A front was expected to bring rain and winds to much of the North Island and upper South Island throughout the weekend.

The low was expected to remain over the North Island tomorrow, before moving slowly southeast from Tuesday.

Thunderstorms in Northland could be heavy enough to cause surface or flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas such as streams, rivers and narrow valleys, MetService said.

A heavy rain watch had also been issued for north Auckland, including Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula, and for the Bay of Plenty west of Whakatane, including Rotorua and the Kaimai Range.

Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Peninsula could expect a soaking on Sunday and Monday.

While the weather was mostly clear for the South Island, warnings on the NZ Transport Agency website urged drivers to be cautious of icy roads.