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
The Flood Room is monitoring
Updated at 2.30pm on Wednesday, 30 July 2025
Situation
There are no MetService severe weather alerts for the Waikato region. However, localised heavy rain is still possible (please refer to Severe Thunderstorm Outlook).
While the rivers and water courses are receding, or are about to start receding soon, catchments across the Waikato are extremely saturated.
While there are no coastal storm impacts, please be aware of a tsunami beach and marine threat for most of the Waikato coastlines, refer to your local Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for further information.
Mercury and Waikato Regional Council are no longer in Phase 1 of the Waikato Hydro Scheme High Flow Management Plan, but due to the forecast rain we may return to Phase 1 next week. Lake Taupō gates will be at maximum discharge of 300 cubic metres per second (cumecs) for at least the next few weeks.
Potential further rain events will continue to be monitored. The cumulative and compounding impacts of potential systems could be significant for all or parts of the region, therefore Flood Room will remain in monitoring.
Please keep updated through Flood Room, MetService weather forecasts and messages from CDEM.
For up-to-date information in your specific area please contact your local CDEM, see links below.
Visit our Environmental Data Hub for the latest river level and rainfall accumulations.
MetService forecast
There are no severe weather alerts for the Waikato region.
Severe Thunderstorm Outlook
A front moves across the North Island during Wednesday morning, bringing rain to eastern parts. There is a moderate risk of downpours with rain rates of 25 to 40 mm/h over Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and northernmost Gisborne, even in the absence of thunderstorms.
Behind this front, an unstable air mass moves onto New Zealand from the west, bringing showers and possible thunderstorms. There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms from this morning through the evening over western parts from Northland to Buller, as indicated on the chart. A larger low risk area extends farther east and south.
In the afternoon and evening, a southerly change will move up the east of the South Island, and there is a low risk of a few thunderstorms here.
No thunderstorms or significant convection expected elsewhere during Wednesday.
During the first part of Thursday, an unstable westerly flow continues to bring showers to the upper North Island, while a cold southerly change moves over central New Zealand and up the lower North Island.
There is a low risk of thunderstorms with these features, as indicated on the chart.
A southerly change continues to move up the lower North Island during the second half of Thursday, while unstable westerlies cover the upper North Island.
From Waitomo to Coromandel Peninsula, and across Auckland to southern Northland, there is a moderate risk of thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms here are likely to be accompanied by heavy rain of 10 to 20 mm/h, and small hail.
A low risk area extends from Whanganui to the Far North, and there is also a low risk of thunderstorms from the Tararua District over parts of Hawke's Bay to southern Gisborne.
No thunderstorms or significant convection expected elsewhere during this period.
Likely/potential Impacts
Rivers and lakes
With saturated catchments and already elevated river levels across the Waikato region, any further rain will flow off the catchments, causing water courses to rise quickly. As well as rising water courses and surface flooding, landslide susceptibility will also increase in some areas. Due to the catchment and river conditions on the Waihou, Waipā and Waikato rivers, water levels will remain elevated.
Wind
Saturated catchments with severe winds are likely to increase susceptibility of tree fall. Please keep up to date with information from your local power provider, the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and local civil defence.
Coastal impacts
No coastal storm impacts, however please be aware of a tsunami beach and marine threat for most of the Waikato region's coastlines. Refer to your local civil defence emergency management and the National Emergency Management Agency for further information.
Land instability
Areas that would normally experience land instability may be affected by any localised downpours that develop about the hill country and ranges of the region. There is a heightened risk particularly for Waitomo and West Coast areas. 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
Our local operations staff continue to monitor our flood protection and land drainage schemes. All our schemes are operational and ready for the event.
Please note, drainage schemes will take time to return to the pre-event conditions.
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 5pm on Thursday (31 July) or sooner 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.
To ask for help or report a problem, contact us
Tell us how we can improve the information on this page. (optional)