Motorists are trapped along State Highway 3 in the Awakino Gorge this morning after flooding and multiple slips closed the road.

Police say they’re aware of some vehicles that are “unable to move” after “significant weather” has made the Waikato highway impassable at places.

The road is now closed between Mokau and Piopio and is expected to stay closed until this afternoon.

At least two settlements, Awakino and Māhoenui are effectively cut off.

MetService has upgraded its warnings for Waitomo, and Waikato south of Raglan and Cambridge. The orange warning came into force at 7am and was expected to last until midday.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said SH3 is now closed and police are urging motorists to not to travel through the gorge. No detour is available.

An Awakino local told the Herald the river was extremely high, reaching high tide levels while at low tide.

Mokau School principal Maryann Symonds said she had been able to contact all the students affected by the slips and flooding.

She said some would not be able to make it to school today, but the school was remaining open to those who could.

Symonds said she had confirmed all families were “safe and sound”.

A worker at a Mokau cafe said there were “barely any cars” and thunderstorms were continuing to lash the area.

“It’s a really terrible day, the weather is awful.”

She said it was not uncommon for the gorge to close in severe weather, but the lack of confirmation on when it might reopen was “concerning.”

NZTA spokesperson Blair Cunningham said crews were onsite clearing the road “as safely and efficiently as possible”.

MetService meteorologist Juliana Bergdolt said at around 1am, a thunderstorm slammed the Awakino Gorge with 16.5mm of rain in just an hour.

According to NZTA, the road was closed at 1.47am.

Bergdolt said the weather station “got into some trouble” soon after, possibly caused by the wild weather.

A heavy rain warning for the eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty began at 1am today and expires at 6pm.

A heavy rain warning for Tongariro National Park is set to expire at 10am.

Between 90 and 120mm of rain is forecast to fall across the affected areas, with peak rates of 20mm/h.

MetService has also forecast a moderate thunderstorm risk for Hawke’s Bay this afternoon.

Wet weather to persist across North Island

Meanwhile, MetService forecaster Alannah Burrows told the Herald the wet weather would continue across the North Island today.

“There will be some fronts pushing up north eastwards and they’re going to continue to cross the North Island,” she said.

“For a lot of areas, we’re seeing rain with heavy outbreaks at times.”

Burrows said the rain would begin to clear from the southeast in the second half of today.

“Rain with heavy outbreaks is expected to ease for places like Auckland late afternoon and early evening to showers,” she said.

In the South Island, the unsettled conditions are forecast to move off the island early today.

“It’s going to be the nicest for the west coast of the South Island, but we’re going to hang on to some clouds and the odd showers for the east coast of the South Island,” Burrows said.

New Zealand is set to see a brief break in the unsettled weather tomorrow morning before a new front begins to move up the South Island.

“We’ve kind of got this transient ridge over the country in the morning, bringing a respite for all the rain we have been seeing,” Burrows said.

“Our next frontal system is going to make its way up the South Island on Wednesday.”

“It’s been a busy spring, but it’s typical for this time of year,” Burrows said.