{"id":236138,"date":"2026-01-16T09:43:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T09:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/236138\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T09:43:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T09:43:08","slug":"waioeka-gorge-sh2-closed-all-weekend-after-slips-and-wild-weather-rescue-under-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/236138\/","title":{"rendered":"Waioeka Gorge SH2 closed all weekend after slips and wild weather, rescue under way"},"content":{"rendered":"

An update on the closure will be given by NZTA on Monday. <\/p>\n

SH2 WAIOWEKA GORGE, BAY OF PLENTY – SLIP – UPDATE 5:25PM, FRI 16 JAN
Waioweka Gorge will be closed over the weekend. Crews are onsite clearing debris. Use the detours provided or consider delaying your journey. An update on the closure will be given on Monday morning, 19 Jan. ^JS https:\/\/t.co\/qV7wsFFd2J<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NZ Transport Agency – Waikato & Bay of Plenty (@nztawbop) January 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

An electrical storm hit the gorge earlier, which caused the slips and flooding. <\/p>\n

Almost 18,000 lightning strikes have been recorded over the past 19 hours and a highway has been closed by slips as severe thunderstorms rumble across the North Island. <\/p>\n

MetService says between noon yesterday and 7am today, nearly 18,000 strikes were registered between Northland and Manawat\u016b and surrounding waters. <\/p>\n

Taranaki and Waikato recorded the greatest number of strikes. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a severe thunderstorm threat over \u014cp\u014dtoki, Gisborne and Whakat\u0101ne this morning has been lifted, with residents earlier told to take cover as the violent storms bore down.<\/p>\n

MetService issued the warning at 8.44am, when a line of electrical storms lay from R\u016b\u0101toki North to Waimana to Kutarere.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis line of severe thunderstorms is moving towards the south-southeast, and is expected to lie from Matahi to Waimana to the Waioeka Gorge at 9.07am, and near the Waioeka Gorge at 9.37am,\u201d MetService said.<\/p>\n

The forecaster warned the thunderstorms would be accompanied by torrential rain and came with a threat of flash flooding. <\/p>\n

MetService has lifted an earlier severe thunderstorm warning for the Bay of Plenty that came into force earlier this morning, but a heavy rain warning remains in place.<\/p>\n

The forecaster was issuing fresh thunderstorm warnings for parts of the North Island throughout this morning as individual storm cells developed.<\/p>\n

A heavy rain warning from last night was in place until 11am for Bay of Plenty and Rotorua.<\/p>\n

A severe thunderstorm watch was also in force until 11am for Gisborne, Hawke\u2019s Bay and Waikato. MetService said there was a \u201cmoderate risk\u201d of severe thunderstorms bringing downpours with rainfall of 25-40mm\/h.<\/p>\n

It followed severe weather on Thursday, with several tornadoes<\/a> to be sweeping across North Island areas, with reports of damage to buildings and downed trees and fences.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udfe7\ud83d\udfe1UPDATED Heavy Rain Watches and Warnings, \u26a1Thunderstorms and Downpours\u26c8\ufe0f<\/p>\n

\u26c8\ufe0fThe risk of downpours due to thunderstorms is there for all of the North Island.<\/p>\n

\u26a1This means that on top of Heavy Rain Warnings and or Watches, places could see Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Issued\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/qq0bM0LfJf<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MetService NZ (@MetService) January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Mixed bag for today\u2019s weather<\/p>\n

Variable weather had been forecast across New Zealand today, with warmer temperatures in the North Island and colder conditions in the South.<\/p>\n

MetService meteorologist Michael Pauley told the Herald the low-pressure system, which brought heavy rain and thunderstorms yesterday, would move off New Zealand.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis pushes east where, around about midday, we\u2019re seeing that main rain band lying just over East Cape, so that pushes off over the afternoon,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThings will be getting a bit finer for the upper part of the North Island. We do see a few showers but they\u2019re going to be relatively isolated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friday will have a few similarities to today:<\/p>\n

Locally heavy showers and thunderstorms in the North Island (but not as widespread as today)<\/p>\n

Continued rain in the eastern South Island<\/p>\n

Another big temperature disparity:<\/p>\n

Comfortable in the North Island<\/p>\n

Chilly in the South Island pic.twitter.com\/89yJu4Iqwx<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

. <\/p>\n

Warm temperatures in the bottom half of the North Island were forecast to fall on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Hastings was forecast to have a high of 30C today, whereas tomorrow a high of 19C was forecast, Pauley said.<\/p>\n

The forecaster pointed to a southerly moving across the North Island as the cause of the cold temperatures.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe low pushes off east and drags the southerlies in behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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