July 2025 heavy rain and wind

The story so far

An atmospheric river was expected to bring further storms to Northland, Auckland and the upper South Island, with Auckland possibly seeing 19 hours of rain.^{28 Jul 2025} In the Eastern Bay of Plenty, 24 hours of heavy rain caused flooding, with over 150mm recorded, cutting off access between Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki and causing wastewater overflow in Ōpōtiki.^{31 Jul 2025}

Latest

Roads are beginning to reopen in the Eastern Bay of Plenty following the flooding.^{31 Jul 2025}

Key moments

1. 27 Jul 2025MetService issues watches and warnings as a front moves east across New Zealand.
2. 28 Jul 2025Atmospheric river forecast for Northland, Auckland and upper South Island; Auckland may see 19 hours rain.
3. 29 Jul 2025Atmospheric funnel brings orange heavy rain warnings across both islands.
4. 30 Jul 2025Slips and complete closure of State Highway 33 at Okere Falls.
5. 31 Jul 2025Eastern Bay of Plenty flooding cuts off Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki; over 150mm of rain.

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.