Te Ara Tūtanga (Mauao base track) and Leisure Island have closed today due to high swells.

The base track closure is in place from 9:30am until the swell has subsided. Tauranga City Council hopes to reopen the track by 3pm this afternoon. Leisure Island will also reopen when swells have subsided.

The closures are in place to ensure public safety. Signage and barriers will be in place at all closure points.

This follows a severe weather watch issued by MetService earlier today.

The Metservice Recreational Marine Forecast website suggests that the sea west of Motiti Island will become rough this afternoon with a maxiumum swell of 3 metres.

"Sea becoming rough in the west, easing overnight. Poor visibility in periods of rain with possible thunderstorms, clearing from the west during this afternoon then fine breaks increasing. Northeast swell 3 metres, easing to 2.5 metres."

More information can be found on the MetService Recreational Marine website, https://www.metservice.com/marine/regions/bay-of-plenty/tides/locations/tauranga.