Heavy rain resulted in dozens of callouts to slips and
flooding around homes in Wellington overnight.
Most roads closed by slips had reopened this morning but more
wet weather is expected to drench most of the country today.
Inspector Marty Parker said Akatarawa Rd in Upper Hutt would
need to be cleared of debris this morning but its closure was
unlikely to have an impact on peak-hour traffic.
Some centres had received more than 50mm since late
yesterday, WeatherWatch.co.nz said.
Wellingtonian Adam Woollett said he could tell the burst was
coming.
"You know when it's going to happen, it happens at the end of
summer when you get the first big rain," he said.
"It just pisses down."
Woollett said it was the first major rain for a couple of
months for the capital, where it had been "ridiculously hot
and sunny" up until now.
View photos of the Wellington floods here.
"You know [the flooding] is going to happen because all of
the drains are to be blocked with dry leaves."
A Tawa resident told nzherald.co.nz he woke to a garage
flooded in one metre of water that included sewage.
He said he couldn't save much in his garage "because it was
already 20-30cm deep by the time we realized" it was
happening.
The last time it happened was 2.5 years ago.
Meanwhile, parched eastern regions of the North Island are
expected to receive the most rain today.
"Even though some predicted heavy falls haven't really come
into being here in Christchurch, any rain has been welcome at
this point," WeatherWatch analyst Richard Green said.
"More [showers] can be expected off and on this morning
before skies clear and then another week of dry conditions
are likely."
Waitangi Day is expected to be "largely sunny" across the
country.
Mr Green said there was still a risk of a few showers across
Gisborne and northern Hawkes Bay and the chance of a shower
in the Far North.
Temperatures are expected to slowly climb to normal February
levels from tomorrow after a chilly start in the south where
temperatures have dropped to single figures.
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