Source: Radio New Zealand
Screenshot / MetService
The South Island is in for a double dose of heavy rain as back-to-back storms lash New Zealand.
MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for the Buller, Gray and Westland Districts, Tasman District northwest of Motueka, Ranges of Nelson and Marlborough between Nelson City and the Awatere River, Nelson Lakes National Park, and the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers about and south of Arthurs Pass National Park.
“We’ve had some heavy rain in the ranges of the Tasman District and Westland on Thursday,” Metservice meteorologist David Miller said.
“And heavy rain is expected to continue in these areas right up until Friday evening.”
On Thursday, some rain gauges in the South Island recorded in the vicinity of 100-130 millimetres in a 24-hour period, Miller said.
For the ranges of Westland District the total rainfall from Thursday through Saturday was expected to reach 500-600 millimetres.
A strong wind warning had also been issued for Taranaki, Wellington, Marlborough southeast of the Awatere River, and Canterbury High Country – with winds gusting between 120-140 km/h in exposed places.
Miller said there was a low risk that the orange-level wind and rain warnings would be upgraded to a more severe red-level warning.
“But an orange warning is still an event to take seriously,” he said.
“There could well be rising streams and rivers, surface flooding, slips, and dangerous driving conditions in these areas, so care does need to be taken.”
The strong winds were also expected to drive heavy swell into some marine areas. Combined waves of 4-5 metres were expected for the west coast on Friday, rising above 6 metres in the south Saturday and spreading to most areas of the country exposed to the south on Sunday.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand