Auckland traffic and weather for March 21, 2022

Traffic

Public transport is running to schedule again as flooding eases following a severe thunderstorm in Auckland on Monday.

Auckland Transport said almost all services are now running to their timetables following the earlier severe weather.

However, flooding remains in some areas, such as Portland Rd, where bus route 755 is being diverted, missing the Aldred Rd and Shore Rd stops.

Meanwhile, the lift at Stop B at Smales Farm bus station is out of order. People who require the lift are advised to change at Akoranga or Constellation station and catch a southbound service back to Smales Farm.

READ MORE:* Motorists urged to avoid non-essential travel as wild weather causes road closures* Severe thunderstorm watch in place for Northland, Auckland* Weather: Auckland Harbour Bridge could close if winds increase

As of 1pm the southbound lanes around the Mt Wellington Highway off-ramp have reopened, following earlier flooding.

Surface flooding around the Khyber Pass Rd off-ramp has receded as of midday and all northbound lanes including the Khyber Pass off-ramp are available again.

Surface flooding on the Northern Motorway around the Penrose overbridge has been cleared, but motorists can continue to expect southbound delays from Newmarket due to multiple flooded areas.

Meanwhile, flooding around the Northcote off-ramp has receded, and northbound lanes have reopened.

Several ferries have been cancelled at Pine Harbour as a result of the poor weather.

Most of the service’s morning commutes to and from the city were cancelled and bus replacements were arranged as a result, Auckland Transport said.

Waka Kotahi has warned those driving on SH1 between Kensington Ave and Rust Ave, Whāngarei to expect delays due to surface flooding.

Strong winds and heavy rain have battered Auckland's streets throughout the morning, after a severe thunderstorm watch was issued by MetService for Auckland, Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel Peninsula and Waikato.

A MetService spokesman confirmed Northland received heavy amounts of rainfall overnight, the Bay of Islands measured 105mm of rainfall from heavy thunderstorm activity between 1am-3am.

Over the same period, 47mm of rainfall was registered in Kerikeri.

According to MetService, Auckland recorded 15mm of rainfall around midnight, but that increased to 56.6mm as of 10.40am.

Skies have cleared up by midday, with rainfall dropping to just 0.2mm by 2pm.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) recorded its “second-wettest hour” in Auckland between 8am and 9am, with 76.8mm of rainfall and more than 700 lightning strikes in five minutes.

The hardest-hit suburbs include Ellerslie, Greenlane, Takapuna, Parnell, parts of the central city, and Ōrewa on the Hibiscus Coast.

The thunderstorm watch was lifted at midday, and a heavy rain warning lifted at 2pm, as the storm moved south to Waikato and Coromandel.