Heavy rain and strong wind warnings as cold front moves north

Saturday, 3 November 2018

A cold front moving up the country is bringing with it lightning, heavy rain and strong wind, prompting severe weather warnings.

Warnings are in force for many parts of the country this weekend as a cold front is moving up the South Island on Saturday and then over the North Island on Sunday, MetService says. Gusts of 87kmh were recorded in Kelburn, Wellington at midday on Saturday, and in the Cook Strait gusts were up to 100km/h.

Heavy rain warnings are in place for extended areas, bringing a risk of rapidly rising streams and rivers. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous. Strong wind gusts could damage trees, power lines and unsecured structures, and driving may be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.

Road snow warnings are in place, too. Arthurs Pass, Lindis Pass, the Crown Range Road between in the Queenstown Lakes District and the Milford Road to Milford Sound could all receive snow before 10pm Saturday, according to MetService.

A cold front is moving up the South Island on Saturday and then over the North Island on Sunday, with a strong northerly ahead of the front and followed by disturbed westerlies, MetService says (file photo).

* Storm weather hitting the South Island before moving north**

'A series of frontal bands will move over the South Island from the west on Saturday, then weaken across the North Island on Sunday. A strong and moist west to northwest flow precedes the fronts, and a strong westerly follows,' MetService's severe weather outlook said.

Rain is expected around the western parts of the South Island and the lower North Island, with the heaviest falls about Fiordland, Westland, the Buller Ranges, the Canterbury and Otago Headwaters, and also now the Tararua Range, where heavy rain warnings are in force.

In places on the West Coast, up to 60mm of rain could fall and in the Tararua ranges, up to 100mm. Other areas could also have similar amounts of rain.

MetService says most of New Zealand should be prepared for more heavy rain and strong winds.

In addition, northwest gales are expected over much of eastern and central parts of the South Island during Saturday, as well as the lower North Island.

On Sunday, a strong westerly flow following the fronts should ease slowly during the day.

There is a low risk of strong west or northwest winds reaching severe gale in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa and Wellington early Sunday, but winds should ease during the morning.

There's also a low risk of severe westerly gales on the south coast of the South Island and Stewart Island until mid-afternoon on Sunday.

Heavy rain warnings are in place the Tararua ranges, Buller, Westland, the Canterbury and Otago Headwaters about and south of Arthurs Pass and Fiordland throughout the weekend.

Strong wind warnings for gusts up to 130kmh are in place for the Canterbury high country and Marlborough on Saturday morning, and for gusts up to 120kmh in Wellington, Wairarapa and the Marlborough Sounds from 11am Saturday to 1am Sunday.

A strong wind watch is in place for the Canterbury plains including Banks Peninsula and North Otago on Saturday, when northwesterly winds may become severe gales.

SUNDAY

North Island, rain clearing in the morning then fine, isolated showers in the west. Strong or gale westerlies easing. South Island, rain in the west and far south, easing to showers. Fine elsewhere.

MONDAY

North Island, cloudy periods in the west with isolated showers. Fine elsewhere. South Island, a few showers in the west and far south. Fine elsewhere.

TUESDAY

Mainly fine, but rain or drizzle about Fiordland.

CHATHAM ISLANDS

A period of rain around the middle of Sunday with strong northerlies turning southwest. A few showers and strong southwesterlies on Monday, clearing by Tuesday with winds easing.