Roads across Tauranga are being closed and schools closed early as heavy winds and rain continue to lash the Bay of Plenty – and more is expected in the next 24 hours.

Whakamarama Primary School closed early due to a power outage that cut the water supply, and Selwyn Ridge Primary School encouraged early collection of children.

The large gum tree falling through the fence from the Rust family's Papamoa property. Photos: Karen Rust.

A property on Oropi Road.

Whakamarama Primary School principal Sue Waitai says a handful of children arrived for school but most were gone by morning tea due to a power outage that was restored at 1.30pm.

Between 1pm and 2pm 20.4mm of rain was recorded at the Te Puke weather station with the heavy downpours swamping road surfaces, causing isolated flooding and high winds bringing down trees across overhead lines.

Civil Defence warning

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence has issued a severe weather warning with 100 to 200mm of rain and thundery downpours expected in the 24 hours from 9am today to Thursday.

No activation of the Civil Defence Emergency Operations Centres has been required so far.

'There's been some isolated reports of surface flooding, mainly in Tauranga due to heavy overnight rain and some power outages in the Western Bay of Plenty due to strong winds and downed trees, however these are all being well responded to through normal operational processes,” says Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group controller Clinton Naude.

'We'll continue to monitor the situation over the next 24 hours. People should keep themselves informed by checking weather updates and as always ensure they are prepared by securing outdoor equipment and checking that their household emergency survival kit and emergency plan are ready to go."

Road closures around the Bay - Click here.

MetService forecast

Metservice meteorologist John Law says the severe weather warning remains in place for the western Bay of Plenty until midnight Thursday, in what is one of the wettest areas nationwide.

'Some places have been more [rain], but you are in one of the wetter spots and I think it's worth saying that you have more rain to come,” says John.

'It's also worth bearing in mind there could well be the chance of some rumbles of thunder and some localised heavy downpours. With the northerly coming through it's going to be a tricky one until we get the winds to clear around.”

The MetService is predicting periods of heavy rain to continue with peak intensities of 10 to 20mm an hour, rising to 30mm an hour in possible thunderstorms.

In the 39 hours from 9am today to midnight Thursday 100 to 200mm is expected to accumulate in the ranges, especially east of Opotiki, says the MetService.

Power Outages:

Overnight winds were stronger than forecast, with gusts up to 70k/ph recorded at the Port of Tauranga.

Power outages have been reported at Omanawa, Oropi, Pyes Pa, Papamoa, Omokoroa, Whakamarama, Te Puke, Te Ranga and Ngawaro.

All are expected to have power restored around 6pm apart from Omokoroa and Whakamarama at 7pm.

High winds have brought trees down across overhead lines on Powerco's electricity network, cutting power to 30,000 customers on the network.

Powerco acting electricity operations manager Phil Marsh says field crews continue working to restore power to homes in Tauranga and the South Waikato.

'Most of the damage has been caused by trees falling across lines,” says Phil.

Extra resources had been brought into the affected areas to help restore supply as quickly and safety as possible.

'Our first priority is making the network safe. The high number of damaged lines mean there are still many down and they must be treated as live at all times.”

Reporting damage and faults

• For dangerous sections of the network or lines that are down call Powerco on 0800 272 727.
• Customers should contact their electricity retailers to report faults and for restoration times.

Papamoa

In Papamoa, Karen Rust is spending the afternoon talking to insurance companies after a large gum tree in her backyard was uprooted, landing on a neighbour's property.

The Opal Drive resident was alerted by her daughter Mahdi, 15, at about 4am with her and husband Peter initially thinking the tree may have snapped, but woke to find the real damage this morning.

'She [Mahdi] heard the big creaking, cracking noise and then heard this big bang,” says Karen.

'It knocked over our back fence and it's fortunately missed their house and garage taking out the corner of their fence on both sides.”

Karen is relieved the large tree landed safely on the back lawn and has been told because it is an 'act of God” both the family and neighbours insurance companies will come together to work it out.

Bethlehem:

Bethlehem resident Scott White currently has a neighbour's tree leaning against his Bethlehem Heights house after it fell through the fence about 3am.

'I woke to a large cracking noise but didn't take too much notice of it. When I went out to the lounge there was a tree in the window so it was a bit of a shock,” says Scott.

'There was no actual damage to the house itself but the deck took the brunt of it, smashed through barriers and bent up all the wood.”

The tree leaning against Scott White's house in Bethlehem Heights. Photos: Scott White.

Otumoetai:

A Ngatai Road family are relieved a falling tree missed their daughter's room, instead crashing into a boat and vehicles in the front yard.

'If it hadn't hit the boat it would have crashed into my daughter's room,” says Desiree Rogers.

Parts of the tree fell onto the property when it was struck by lightning a few years back.

The limbs that fell last night were also large enough to crash into her daughter's room had they fallen in that direction, but instead crashed over the driveway.

'If that had gone the other way, that's my daughter's bedroom,” says Desiree.

Desiree says after the lightning struck last time they requested Tauranga City Council remove the tree. But council refused and told them they were not allowed to prune the tree.

'I was just giving it a prune but you are not allowed to do that,” says Desiree's husband Jared.

'They said it was on their property. They told me to stop instantly.”

Jared had to pull the fence apart today to go to work and phoned TCC first thing about the blocked drive.

'It's the third time in four years that it's happened,” says Desiree.

Council contractors have fixed the sidewalk three times because the roots of the tree keep lifting the sidewalk, says Desiree.

'It's broken the drive three times. So they can fix the concrete because the tree roots keep lifting, but they won't cut down the tree.”

Tauranga city council arborist Richard Conning wasn't aware of the tree at the address, saying he's had numerous calls about trees today.

Wider Bay of Plenty:

Wind and rain has persisted across the Western Bay and Rotorua, with Western Bay to Matata receiving up to 115mm of rain, Rotorua 60-80mm and the Eastern Bay west of Kawerau, including the Rangitaiki Catchment, 10-20mm in the last 24 hours.

For earlier coverage of the storm click here.