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
Potential weather system developing; Be prepared
Updated at 3pm on Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Situation
MetService has issued a Heavy Rain Watch for the Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty west of Kawerau (which includes eastern catchments of the Waikato region). Both Heavy Rain Watch areas have a moderate chance of upgrading to a warning.
Waikato Regional Council's Regional Flood Liaison Officer and Regional Flood Coordinator met with MetService this morning to discuss the potential weather events for Thursday and Friday. For Thursday, the Heavy Rain Watch areas are likely to include convective systems (thunderstorms). These are likely to be isolated across the Heavy Rain Watch areas.
For Friday, the current Heavy Rain Outlook is likely to be upgraded to a Thunderstorm Watch or Heavy Rain Watch, either tonight or tomorrow morning. There is the potential for thunderstorm training (multiple, separate thunderstorms that move in rapid succession over the same area) across the current outlook area.
The Regional Flood Response Team will monitor the situation carefully and await more refined information to come through from MetService.
Many catchments in the Waikato region are still reeling from recent rainfall events and further rain that may not ordinarily be considered significant is likely to exacerbate land instability and flooding impacts.
Waikato Regional Council's river and catchment staff are working hard to manage the recent impacts, however, the scale of impacts across the Coromandel Peninsula and western Waikato in January and February is such that remediation has not ben able to be completed.
- Download the MetService App to your phone to receive weather alerts for your area.
- Add links to your local council and civil defence emergency management websites and follow their social media profiles.
- Check drains and gutters around your property to ensure water can flow freely.
- Secure outdoor items that could blow away or block drainage channels.
- Review your household emergency plan, including how you will stay informed if conditions change.
If an event does occur:
- Avoid driving through floodwaters and plan alternative routes if you live in a flood‑prone area.
- Contact local civil defence (or your council) if you observe any evidence of a landslip or flood impacts.
- Contact 111 if you are in immediate danger.
Our Regional Flood Response team continues to monitor forecasts closely and flood and drainage infrastructure - even when Flood Room is Deactivated - and will provide updates if the system strengthens of the risk of heavy rain and flooding increases for the Waikato region. We also continue to liaise closely with civil defence, local councils and other agencies.
Visit our Environmental Data Hub for the latest river level and rainfall accumulations.
MetService forecast
Heavy Rain Watch (Yellow) – Coromandel Peninsula
Period: 12 hours from 6pm Thursday to 6am Friday
Forecast: Periods of heavy rain, with localised downpours possible. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.
Heavy Rain Watch (Yellow) – Bay of Plenty west of Kawerau
Period: 12 hours from 10pm Thursday to 10am Friday
Forecast: Periods of heavy rain, with localised downpours possible. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.
Issued: 9.47am Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Next Update: 9pm Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Thunderstorms
During the second half of Thursday, there is a low risk of embedded thunderstorms with heavy rain and strong winds, extending across Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula and western Bay of Plenty through the evening. There is also a low risk of localised downpours.
There is always a possibility 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 still recovering from recent rainfall and are very suspectable to any rain. Rivers and streams may rise quickly and some localised flooding may occur, especially associated with any localised thunderstorms/downpours.
Wind
There are no strong wind watches or warnings for the region.
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 specific coastal impacts are expected.
Land instability
Many catchments across the region remain impacted following heavy rainfall in January and February. As a result, areas that would normally experience land instability may be affected by any rainfall about the hill country and ranges.
Whilst it is not possible to predict exactly where or when landslides will occur, properties and infrastructure, including roads on or near steep slopes, cuttings or cliffs, are naturally most at risk. People in the area 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. Our advice is to avoid travel unless absolutely essential during and immediately following heavy rainfall. The risk does not disappear once the rain has stopped and land instability can continue for many days after the event.
What we're doing
Waikato Regional Council flood and drainage schemes
The council is actively working to address river and catchment impacts in the Coromandel, Hauraki, Waipā and West Coast zones from the recent rainfall event. All flood and drainage infrastructure is working as it should. Local flood response staff continue to monitor forecasts and assets to ensure a timely response, should it be required.
Please note, drainage schemes will take time to return to the pre-event conditions following rainfall. Rest assured our local operations staff are monitoring.
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, 12 March 2026 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.
