17/11/2025
UPDATE as of 10:07am, Wednesday 19 November:
Morena everyone, hope everyone is staying safe and as dry as possible this morning. Unfortunately, we’re not out of the woods yet.
We’ve continued to monitor the weather overnight, and MetService New Zealand’s latest forecast does show the time frame of the current Orange Heavy Rain Warning has been extended to 11pm. We can still expect around 80 to 110 mm of rain on top of what has already fallen, mainly east of Rotorua, with localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm/h possible.
⚡There is also a low risk of thunderstorms for Bay of Plenty. If you hear distant thunder or see a flash of light, get indoors immediately. If you are in a car stay in the vehicle with your windows closed. You are safer from lightning in a vehicle than out in the open.
⚠️ Take care if you're out and about and if you can, delay travel. There may be surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions. If you do need to be on the road, keep up to date with the roading situation by checking out NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi - Waikato & Bay of Plenty. Streams and rivers may also rise rapidly so avoid low-lying areas and be cautious.
💡 We’re hearing reports of localised power outages – some planned, some due to the current weather. Please report all power outages to your local power company, or by calling Powerco on 0800 769 372. If you see any downed power lines, treat it as live and call 111 immediately. Remember to stay at least 10m away (about the length of a bus) from the lines and poles for your safety.
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UPDATE as of 10:45am, Tuesday 18 November:
The latest MetService New Zealand update has just come out, and there's been a slight change to the heavy rain warning in place for our region from 8pm tonight.
The warning will now be in place until 8pm Wednesday, 19 November. We can still expect 150 to 200 mm of rain, and localised downpours are possible with intensities of 25 to 40 mm per hour possible, with largest accumulations likely west of Whakatane.
There is a low chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
We're continuing to monitor the situation as always and encourage you to visit our website (https://www.bopcivildefence.govt.nz/) and MetService (https://www.metservice.com/warnings) for the latest information.
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Original post shared at 11:25am, Monday 17 November:
Happy Monday, folks. MetService New Zealand have issued an Orange Heavy Rain Warning for the Bay of Plenty region from 8pm tomorrow, Tuesday 18 November, through to 5pm on Wednesday 19 November.
We can expect 150 to 200 mm of rain with intensities of 20 to 25 mm per hour possible.
As always, please take care if you're out and about. There may be surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions. Streams and rivers may also rise rapidly so avoid low-lying areas and be cautious.
Rotorua Lakes Council Western Bay of Plenty District Council Ōpōtiki District Council Te Kaunihera ā-rohe o Whakatāne - Whakatāne District Council Te Kaunihera ā rohe o Kawerau - Kawerau District Council Tauranga City Council
