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Bad weather has hit Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty. Photo: anpastor/123RF
Beaches have been closed in holiday hotspots Whangamatā and Mt Maunganui due to "dangerous conditions" as pre-Christmas bad weather lashes the upper North Island.
A surf lifesaving spokesperson in the tower at Mt Maunganui beach said there were "big swells, strong currents and rips" and warning signs had been put on the beaches advising people not to swim.
At Whangamatā, after a swim to check the conditions, the head lifeguard closed the beach on Wednesday and advised beach goers that while lifeguards would be in the tower they would not be on the beach at all.
The beach remained closed on Thursday, but lifeguards would monitor and reassess the situation, and this weekend's surfing lifesaving competition, The Mount Monster, was expected to go ahead.
A slip about 1km from the start of Old Coach Road meant the road was likely to be closed for some time.
Thames-Coromandel's mayor was not ruling out holidaymakers enjoying a hot, fun summer despite the latest weather just as schools closed their doors for the summer holidays.
Len Salt said the cleanup would be handled as quickly as possible due to the fact they were well versed in such types of weather fallouts.
"When we have flooding events like this particularly when we have a combination of tide, and rain from the hills, as the rain eases off they tend to dissipate fairly quickly."
At this stage Salt was not anticipating interruptions to travel and holiday plans.
"There are so many people who have really been looking forward to getting out to the beach, getting out and having a holiday without restrictions and just getting back to enjoying everything they used to enjoy.
"I think another 24 hours, and we will be back to normal".
Businesses are keen to see the public back through their doors with no restrictions this year, he said.
Thames-Coromandel, a bolthole for Aucklanders over the festive season, recorded over 220mm of rain at the Pinnacles and 105mm at Castle Rock, leaving a number of roads impassable due to slips and flooding.
Civil defence controller Garry Towler said many roads would remain closed until late Thursday or into Friday.
The whole area from Whangamatā to Whitianga was closed due to flooding and slips, he said.
"There was well over 300mm of rain for this event.
"If people want to check their properties on the Coromandel they should check roads before they leave or there could be very long delays to get to where they want to go."
All roads were unlikely to be cleared today, Towler said.
He mentioned there was also high tide around 1pm, putting increased pressure on waterways.
But there had been no weather-enforced evacuations, and no reports of urban or house flooding, he said.
"People need to take extreme care on the roads as they are very dangerous."
Road closures
Flooding closed Hikuai Settlement Rd between Prescotts Garage and the Waterways roundabout today.
Pippa Prescott at Prescotts Garage said it was still raining at 8am and cloudy but the sun was starting to come out a little bit.
Heavy rain in the Coromandel overnight resulted n flooding and slips close roads.
Coromandel is a hotspot for Auckland seasonal visitors. Photo: Natalia Catalina/ 123rf
"It was pouring down all night. The road from here to Whangamatā is closed, so we are pretty much cut off apart from some people sneaking up from Pauanui."
The shop was open but no-one was currently there, she said.
A slip also closed SH25 between SH25a and McBeth Rd with a secondary closure at the 8km mark due to surface water flooding making the road impassable.
Surface flooding has also made Wentworth Valley Rd near Whangamatā impassable.
Tapu Coroglen Rd has a slip and council staff were on their way to investigate. It was not yet known if motorists were able to get through.
Staff were also investigating a slip on Kennedy Bay Rd and said they would update when it was known if vehicles could get through.
The council also sent staff to Hot Water beach due the road being closed.
Further north, a van had rolled on 309 Road blocking the route over the range, but that since been cleared.
Motorists were asked to check their journeys before heading out on the Coromandel.
The Port Jackson Rd was also closed due to the Ohinewai Ford flooding. Also closed due to flooding iwas Fletcher Bay Rd and Old Maratoto Rd.
Waka Kotahi said any weather event would impact on the structure of roads to some degree.
"Fortunately the East Waikato network team has completed the vast majority of their SH25 summer chipseal programme, however other activities across the network are being hampered by this recent weather, as well as the wet weather we have had across the previous months."
Contractors are aiming to have any remaining work completed before road works on the state highways pause on 22 December.
*This story was first published on the Stuff website
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