MetService New Zealand have issued a heavy rain warning and severe thunderstorm watch for Whakatāne District. Here's what you need to know: 

• A Heavy Rain Warning - Orange is in place today until 10pm for the Bay of Plenty area including Rotorua. Expect 120 to 160 mm of rain in parts of the region, especially about and east of Rotorua. Peak rates of 25 to 40 mm/h possible in localised downpours and thunderstorms from late Friday morning into the evening. Heavy rain is expected to ease west of Whakatane Friday evening.
• A severe thunderstorm watch is in place today until 9pm for much of the upper north island, and includes Bay of Plenty. There is moderate risk of localised downpours affecting Bay of Plenty about and west of Whakatāne this morning and afternoon, and about Bay of Plenty east of Whakatāne this afternoon, evening and night. There is the potential of localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm/h in these areas. 

Rainfall of this intensity can cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Flash flooding , surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous. 

Keep off the roads if you can, drive to the conditions if you have to move around the rohe / district.

Our crews are out across the district keeping an eye on things and assisting where required. So far, we've only two reports of a few trees down, so let's hope it stays this way.

If things turn gnarly where you are and you need urgent help with an issue, please call us on 07 306 0500, non-urgent jobs can be logged via our Fix It Portal at www.whakatane.govt.nz/fixit

Kia haumaru te noho / Stay safe out there e te whānau.