Flood room status
Flood Room is monitoring. For information on current river levels, flows and rainfall accumulations, please visit our Environmental Data Hub.
What the status levels mean
Flood Room is monitoring
Published at 1.30pm on Monday, 17 November 2025
Situation
For Tuesday and Wednesday this week, MetService has issued a Heavy Rain Warning for Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty (which includes eastern Waikato catchments and Tongariro), as well as a Heavy Rain Watch for the remainder of the Waikato region.
Associated with the rain systems will be localised thunderstorms.
Our catchments are generally in a good condition, however our Waitomo and west coast areas are still in recovery mode from the October events.
However, we do expect rivers to rise quickly with the possibility of surface flooding and landslides across the region, specifically in areas that may receive localised thunderstorms.
There is still uncertainty in the MetService forecasts , so please keep up-to-date with the current MetService weather forecasts and messages from local civil defence.
Download the MetService weather app to get up to date severe weather alerts for your area.
Visit our Environmental Data Hub for the latest river level and rainfall accumulations.
MetService forecast
Heavy Rain Warning (Orange) - Coromandel Peninsula
Period: 21 hours from 2pm Tuesday, 18 November - 11am Wednesday, 19 November
Forecast: Expect 140 to 160 mm of rain, especially about the higher ground. Rainfall intensities of 15 to 20 mm per hour are possible during Wednesday morning. Low chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Impact: Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.
Action: Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously. Preparedness advice.
Issued: 9:57am Monday 17 November
Next update: 9pm Monday 17 November
Heavy Rain Warning (Orange) - Bay of Plenty (includes eastern catchments of the Waikato region)
Period: 21 hours from 8pm Tuesday, 18 November - 5pm Wednesday, 19 November
Forecast: Expect 150 to 200 mm of rain with intensities of 20 to 25 mm per hour possible. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Heavy Rain Warning (Orange) - Tongariro National Park
Period: 24 hours from 10pm Tuesday, 18 November - 10pm Wednesday, 19 November
Area: Expect 100 to 140 mm of rain with intensities of 15 to 20 mm per hour possible. Low chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Heavy Rain Watch - The broader Waikato area, excluding Coromandel Peninsula and Tongariro National Park
Period: 24 hours from 3pm Tuesday, 18 November - 3pm Wednesday, 19 November
Forecast: Periods of heavy rain and accumulations may approach warning criteria in some locations. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.
Issued: 9:57am Monday, 17 November 2025
Next update: 9pm Monday, 17 November 2025
Severe thunderstorms
There are no Thunderstorm Watches or Warnings for the Waikato region. However, severe thunderstorm watches or warnings may be issued by MetService at short notice so please be alert for and act on these without hesitation – do not wait for further analysis by Waikato Regional Council. For information on preparing for and keeping safe during a storm, see the National Emergency Management Agency's Get Ready website.
Likely/potential Impacts
Rivers and lakes
Our catchments are generally in a good condition, however our Waitomo and west coast areas are still in recovery mode from the October events.
We do expect rivers to rise quickly, with the possibility of surface flooding and landslides across the region, specifically in areas that may receive localised thunderstorms.
Wind
There are no Wind Watches or Warnings in force for the Waikato region. The strong winds and catchments condition will likely increase tree fall susceptibility that may also trigger land instability.
Please keep up to date with information from your local power provider, the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and local civil defence.
Coastal impacts
There are unlikely to be any significant coastal impacts arising from this event.
Land instability
Areas that would normally experience land instability may be affected by any rainfall about the hill country and ranges of the region. This may heighten the risk of landslip and people in these areas should remain vigilant for early warning signs of earth movement.
Road users should plan ahead and keep up to date with the latest from their local council and the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
What we're doing
Waikato Regional Council flood and drainage schemes
Local flood response staff are preparing for the anticipated heavy rain/strong wind/severe weather. They remain on standby to respond to any impacts this weather may bring.
All flood infrastructure is working as it should.
Waikato Regional Council telemetry
Our telemetry network continues to provide real-time data on rainfall and river levels and is monitored 24/7 by our Regional Flood Response team. Visit our Environmental Data Hub for the latest river level and rainfall accumulations.
Next update
Flood Room will be updated by 1pm tomorrow (Tuesday, 18 November), or earlier if the situation changes.
New Zealand Flood Pics
New Zealand Flood Pics is a photographic archive of flooding for Aotearoa New Zealand which is currently hosted by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). It's free for anybody to upload or download flood photographs and your contributions are welcomed.
