There are no weather watches/warnings for Tairawhiti region.
A reminder to keep a watch for land movement
If you’re on a hilly section please check your land and contact us if you notice any cracks, creaking noises, doors sticking in your home or retaining walls leaning. Call us on 0800 653 800.
To keep up to date
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Weather alerts and road info
The map displays the latest MetService alerts, local roads and Waka Kotahi NZTA state highway information. For more information, see our local road information
Recovery following Cyclone Gabrielle
Please see our Flood Recovery webpage
Be read for any disaster
Emergencies can happen anytime - are you prepared?
You should be able to cope on your own for at least 3 days. Here's a basic guide to what you'll need:
- An emergency plan - where to meet family and how to contact one another if separated.
- Prepare a grab bag of essential items.
- Enough food in your home to last 2-3 days.
- Know where to get water, if your usual supply is not available.
- Alternative lighting - a torch with spare batteries or a wind up one, gas lantern or light-sticks.
- Battery operated or wind up radio and spare batteries - don't forget your car radio as a last resort.
- First aid kit, make sure it includes any essential medications.
- Blankets, survival blankets or warm waterproof clothing.
- Alternative cooking methods, BBQ or gas cooker.
- Store important family documents where you can get them easily.
For more information - Get ready
Emergency status and what the warnings mean
No Civil Defence emergency
Always be prepared. Emergencies can happen anytime.
Weather warning
Issued when MetService alerts us to severe weather. MetService defines weather watches and warnings as:
- Weather Watch (Yellow) –issued when severe weather is possible but not yet certain. Watches are typically announced 1 to 3 days in advance to encourage people to stay alert and monitor forecasts.
- Weather Warning (Orange) – issued when severe weather is expected and meets MetService’s criteria. For example, warnings may be triggered by heavy rain, strong winds, or snowfall exceeding specific thresholds.
- Red Warning – the highest level of alert, issued for extreme weather that is likely to cause significant disruption or damage.
Alert or Activated
We've been alerted to a possible situation and Civil Defence is in a monitoring and information gathering mode:
- MetService and the event has started, or
- Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, or
- Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, or
- Other warning systems such as telemetry / flood warning.
Declared emergency
A state of local emergency declared under section 68 or section 69 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. An emergency means a situation that:
- is the result of any happening, whether natural or otherwise, including, without limitation, any explosion, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, land movement, flood, storm, tornado, cyclone, serious fire, leakage or spillage of any dangerous gas or substance, technological failure, infestation, plague, epidemic, failure of or disruption to an emergency service or a lifeline utility, or actual or imminent attack or warlike act; and
- causes or may cause loss of life or injury or illness or distress or in any way endangers the safety of the public or property in New Zealand or any part of New Zealand; and
- cannot be dealt with by emergency services, or otherwise requires a significant and coordinated response under the Act.
State of National Emergency
Declared under Section 66 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.