Cyclone Tam moves South after battering New Zealand North Islands

Cyclone Tam continues to move slowly southward over the Tasman Sea, and parts of North Island are still dealing with the storm’s aftermath. Fresh warnings have been issued for the days ahead, along with water conservation alerts following heavy overnight rainfall in several regions of New Zealand’s North Islands.

Thousands of homes and businesses across Northland remain without power, with about 6000 customers still affected Friday morning (April 18) morning. Authorities have been warning people to stay away from fallen power lines due to the threat of electrocution.

Tow trucks rescued stranded cars in Coromandel overnight after drivers attempted to cross deep floodwaters.


Meanwhile, cyclone Tam continues to bring warm, humid air and unseasonably high temperatures. Whanganui was the warmest place in the country at 26.6°C at 7:15 am on April 18, with partly cloudy skies. Mount Cook in Canterbury is at 10.3°C, with rain, light winds, and a high of 15°C expected.

Several towns were cut off overnight in the Coromandel due to flooding and slips. State Highway 25 has reopened at Manaia, but surface flooding remains a risk. SH25A between Kōpū and Hikuai is open with stop/go controls while crews continue clearing slips.

Auckland is beginning to recover after experiencing cancelled flights, fallen trees, and power outages. A cruise ship stuck in Auckland Harbour was finally able to depart at midday Friday, although it will skip a planned stop in American Samoa due to delays.

MetService has lifted weather warnings for Northland and Auckland, but issued new warnings for Mount Taranaki and the Tasman district, where up to 200mm of rain is expected over the next 40 hours. Bay of Plenty and Gisborne/Tairawhiti are also under heavy rain warnings, with up to 120mm expected in some areas.. Up

There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms in the upper North Island, especially in Northland, Bay of Plenty, and parts of Tasman.

Meteorologists are watching a potential second weather system forming in the tropics, and forecasters say they’ll have a clearer picture in the coming days.

Residents are advised to stay updated and take care on the roads as the wet and windy weather has not ended.