MetService

More than 1 metre of rain. Farmers fleeing walls of water. Red warnings are no laughing matter, and there have been five in 11 months.

Its red warning for the East Coast is the sixth of its kind, and the fifth in less than a year. It's the kind of work we need you to support. “People in these areas can expect dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. In 2019 MetService introduced a new colour coded severe weather warning system – orange for bad weather and red for the worst weather. Farmers fleeing as walls of water descend. A significant heavy rain event is expected for the Wairoa district and Gisborne where red warnings for heavy rain are now in force, MetService said. More than 1 metre of rain. MetService issued a red severe weather warning for rainfall on the West Coast at the beginning of February. The wild weather was not as bad as first expected when MetService issued a red warning for a large swathe of the South Island. The forecaster noted that the effects of climate change, and its ability to increase the frequency of severe weather events, might increase the number of red warnings into the future. In a red warning, immediate action is required of the population to protect others, property and animals from the impact of the weather – essentially red is authorities telling people to batten down the hatches. MetService severe weather forecaster Heath Gullery said red was reserved for the worst weather events – when an incoming storm is expected to have significant impact, and likely on a lot of people.