Storms are forecast for much of New Zealand this weekend, with a swathe of weather warnings and watches across the country.
The heaviest rain is expected in the South Island, while thunderstorms are expected to move up the North Island during Saturday and into Sunday.
South Island
The West Coast was expected to cop the heaviest dumpings of rain, along with the headwaters of the lakes and rivers of Otago and Canterbury, MetService forecasters said.
Meanwhile, strong winds will buffet many parts of the mainland.
Heavy rain warnings and watches are in place for most of the Coast and parts of Canterbury, where there could be up to 140mm rain on top of what has already fallen.
The same areas should expect snow down to about 1800 metres.
Strong wind watches, approaching severe gales, are in place for Otago excluding coastal parts of Clutha, Southland north of Gore and Fiordland.
Forecasters say while these areas had been weathering strong winds early on Saturday, they had eased for the day by 1pm, but northwesterly severe gales are expected to back from Sunday afternoon.
Further north, an orange wind warning is in place for the Canterbury High Country, where severe northwesterly gales are expected, gusting to 120kmh.
The Milford Road (State Highway 94) is open today but is scheduled to close between Hollyford Rd Junction and Donne River Bridge from 10am tomorrow.
Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast from mid-morning Sunday into early Monday, which will elevate the avalanche hazard, the Milford Road Alliance said this afternoon. An update will be issued tomorrow morning.
North Island
The angry weather will sweep up much of the North Island overnight from midnight Saturday through to 7am Sunday, MetService forecasters say. It could become severe or bring flash floods and dangerous driving conditions, with wind gusts up to 110kmh or stronger.
"Some of these thunderstorms may generate localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm an hour, especially from Waitomo southwards," a MetService spokesperson said.
"Wind gusts of this strength can cause some structural damage, including trees and power lines."
An orange thunderstorm watch has been placed over Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taupō, Taranaki, Taihape, Wanganui, Manawatū, Tararua, Kāpiti-Horowhenua, Wairarapa and Wellington.
The Tararua Ranges in particular are expected to get a drenching, with an orange heavy rain warning issued, for the period from 6pm Saturday to 6am Sunday.
- A yellow heavy rain warning is in place, until 5am Sunday, for: Waikato, Taupō, northern Taranaki and northern Taihape.
- A yellow heavy rain warning is in place, until noon Sunday, for: parts of the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne-Tairāwhiti.
Strong wind watches are in place for: parts of Waikato, Taupō, Taranaki and Taihape, parts of Whanganui, and for Wellington and Kāpiti Coast.
- additional reporting ODT Online
