State Highway 94 will close from East Gate (Hollyford) to Donne River (Westgate) at noon on Wednesday and would not reopen until Friday, the Milford Road Alliance advised today.
"Significant rainfall is expected to continue until Thursday evening, therefore the road will remain closed all of Thursday."
The highway was expected to reopen on Friday, subject to avalanche assessment and clearance work as a result of the storm, Milford Road Alliance said.
Heavy rain is set to batter the West Coast, as well as headwaters of the Otago and Canterbury rivers and lakes from tomorrow.
MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound from 9am tomorrow until 3am on Thursday, with between 250mm and 350mm expected to fall.
Peak rates of 15mm/h to 25mm/h were likely from Wednesday afternoon through to Thursday morning, it advised.
"Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions possible."
Meanwhile, a heavy rain watch is in place for the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers from 7pm on Wednesday until 5pm on Thursday, and for Canterbury waterways from 3am until midnight tomorrow.
Rainfall amounts may exceed warning criteria within 20km east of the main divide and these watches could be upgraded to warnings, MetService said.
Heavy rain was also set to make its way into Westland from early on Thursday morning until 3am on Friday, and the watch could also be updated to a warning.
- ODT Online
