Weather

Most Wellington beaches were off-limits for swimmers on Thursday after the sewage treatment plant was forced to release wastewater due to heavy rainfall the night before.

Last year's record rain was "binge rainfall" - where a lot of rain falls in a short period of time, a Niwa weather forecaster says.

The historic Mercury Bay Boating Club in Whitianga needs to be picked up and moved almost immediately, to protect it from erosion. Audio

MetService says while Cyclone Hale is weakening over the North Island, heavy rain and strong winds will continue to hit some areas for the next few hours.

The latest Pacific storm knocked out power and turned California streets into rivers, as mudslides cut off highways.

Weather warnings have been lifted for Tairāwhiti while Northland says its recovery will take several weeks.

Last year was New Zealand's warmest on record, says Niwa's chief scientist.

An estimated 30 whānau from the Uawa, or Tolaga Bay area have spent the night away from home, staying with relatives on higher ground as Cyclone Hale set floodwaters lapping at their doors.

Cyclone Hale has made landfall with gale-force winds, 6m swells on the coast and heavy rain, and caused road closures, slips and flooding across several regions.

Western Australia's premier says it could take months before authorities can restore critical infrastructure in remote towns ravaged by the state's worst floods on record.

Parts of the South Island are seeing record high temperatures, while the North braces for the impacts of Cyclone Hale. Audio

Civil Defence says people in the Coromandel should not be complacent about the storm headed for the region. Audio