While more heavy rain warnings are being scattered about Southland, Fiordland and South Otago over the next two days, most of it will miss Dunedin.
MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan said the city would only get "a few spits" as the rain-bearing front passed over.
And due to the northwesterly foehn wind effect, temperatures would sit in the low 20°C range today and tomorrow, before dropping to 16°C on Sunday.
"So Dunedin is looking to get a high of 21°C on Friday and 23°C on Saturday.
"It’s a little bit above average for this time in early November. Normally, daytime highs are around 17°C-18°C.
"And it will be quite warm and humid overnight with temperatures only dropping to the mid-teens."
As for Southland, Fiordland, Clutha and the Otago headwaters, the MetService had already put heavy rain warnings in place, and more were likely to come — particularly in Southland and on the West Coast, he said.
"Rising rivers and slips are definitely hazards that are associated with the amounts of rain that could be seen across the region.
"The severe weather team will be keeping an eye on the situation.
"It’s best to be prepared in advance. So if you are in a low-lying area, it may be best to get some sand bags ready and for farmers to move their stock to higher ground."
An orange heavy rain warning is in place from 6am today through to 6am tomorrow for the Otago headwaters, where up to 300mm of rain is expected to fall about the Main Divide, and up to 150mm within 20km further east.
Peak rates of up to 30mm per hour are expected about the divide.
"Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions are possible."
Mr Corrigan encouraged people to clear their drains and gutters to prepare for the heavy rain.
An orange heavy rain warning is also in place for Fiordland (about and north of George Sound), between 3am today and 3am tomorrow.
Up to 200mm of rain is expected to fall at peak rates of up to 30mm per hour, and it is likely this event will be upgraded to a red warning.
Again, the MetService warned streams and rivers might rise rapidly, and surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions were possible.
At this stage, heavy rain watches are in place for Fiordland (south of George Sound) over the same timeframe; and for Southland and eastern Clutha between 10am and 10pm today. Both of these watches might be upgraded to orange warnings, Mr Corrigan said, especially for inland parts of Southland.
Tomorrow, the front was expected to move northwards over the South Island before weakening and becoming slow-moving over the lower North Island, he said.
"Heavy rain is expected in the west of the South Island, and strong northwest winds about the east of the South Island and southern North Island should ease during the day.
"There is high confidence that rainfall accumulations will meet warning criteria for over Westland district and northern Fiordland, and for the Otago and Canterbury headwaters.
"There is moderate confidence of significant heavy rain for Grey district, Buller and northwest Tasman, and also for southern Fiordland."
On Sunday, another front, moving east, was expected to reach the South Island late in the day and there was minimal risk of severe weather, he said.
