MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for a number of North and South Island places over the next day or two. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for parts of the North and the upper South Island.
The South Island's orange-level warnings cover the Tasman District, west of Motueka, from 6am Wednesday; and Marlborough, northwest of the Richmond Range, and Nelson, east of the city, from 9am.
Orange warnings for the North Island kick in for Taranaki Maunga from 7am; Northern Taihape and the southern parts of Taupō and Taumarunui from 10am; the Tararua Range from 11am.
Most of these places can expect up to 150mm of rain with peak intensities of 20-30mm per hour, though the upper slopes of Taranaki Maunga could see heavier rain of up to 220mm.
A further orange heavy rain warning is in place for Bay of Plenty, east of Whakatāne, and inland Gisborne/Tairāwhiti from 8pm Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Heavy rain watches are in place for Fiordland, north of Breaksea Sound, overnight; and Horowhenua, Kāpiti Coast and Wellington from Wednesday morning.
Similar watches are in effect from Wednesday afternoon for Northland, Auckland and Great Barrier Island; Buller and Grey Districts south of Karamea; and Westland District, north of Fox Glacier.
Not just rain - strong winds also forecast
Strong wind watches are also in place for parts of the country.
Taranaki is the first to get blown about from 9am on Wednesday, followed by Taihape and Whanganui (north of the city) from 2pm.
A strong wind watch for Northland, Auckland and Great Barrier Island kicks in at 3pm, and emergency management is advising Auckland residents to keep up to date with weather conditions, as heavy rain is also expected.
A watch for Bay of Plenty, east of Whakatāne, and Gisborne/Tairāwhiti comes into effect on Wednesday evening at 9pm.
Snow welcome news for southern ski fields
A heavy snow watch for Canterbury on Wednesday is likely to be upgraded to a warning.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said the system would bring quite a lot of rain, especially from Wednesday into Thursday.
She said a low-pressure system was moving towards the country from the Tasman Sea, resulting in snowfall in inland parts of the South Island.
"This week will bring a shift to colder weather, snowfall and rain," she said.
"As we head towards the latter part of this week, we will see that wind flow coming more from the south and southwest, so that'll be bringing much cooler air over the country and snowfall to lower levels as well."
Makgabutlane said the snow would be welcome news for southern ski fields.
"It is looking like a good snow event and so any of that snow that does reach those ski fields will definitely be adding to that," she said.
People travelling in the snow should be wary of the conditions, Makgabutlane said.
"If people are planning on travelling on those elevated roads, do keep an eye out, because the snow could be affecting some of those road conditions," she said.
Makgabutlane urged those in areas with warnings and watches to keep checking the forecast.
A map indicating MetService weather warnings and weather watches in place at 1.30pm on Tuesday. Photo: Screenshot / MetService
Winter on its way
On Tuesday, Meteorologist John Law told Morning Report the weather this week would kick off the winter to come.
"The combination of that cold air pushing up the country and that moisture will mean the return of some wintry weather over the tops of the Canterbury high country.
"So those are the regions first off that will find that snow weather.
"But by the time we head towards Friday and the weekend, I think all of us will find our temperatures are well and truly colder than it has been," he said.
Law said the weather in the coming weeks would be a "pretty good taste" of our coming winter.
He added the Canterbury region could see snow fall down to 300 metres.
"On Wednesday another weather front moves in from the north ... that brings with it some wet and windy weather," Law said.
South Island hit by bad weather in May
The South Island had already been hit by bad weather in May, including flash flooding in Nelson without any watches or warnings in place for the region.
Torrential rainfall in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula last month resulted in millions of dollars worth of damage to roads.
Christchurch City Council head of transport Lynette Ellis said costs to repair the damage could lie between $12-18 million, depending on investigations into a slip on Lighthouse Road in Akaroa.
"On the whole, the damage related to flooding of roads, slips and washouts. The majority of the damage was concentrated in the Banks Peninsula ward," she said.
NZTA said the rain storm met its criteria for funding support to share repair costs - at least 51 percent - although the arrangement was still being formalised.
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