More wild weather is expected to impact isolated parts of the country today, with MetService warning of significant rainfall as a slow-moving front continues to affect central New Zealand.
The front was forecast to gradually shift eastward tomorrow, while another weather system approaches from the south, moving northwards over Fiordland and Westland.
Orange heavy rain warnings were issued for some localised areas, with up to 230mm of rain expected at Taranaki Maunga, while the Tararua Ranges might get up to 170mm of rain.
Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds were under a heavy rain watch from 9am today.
Other regions under a heavy rain watch included the ranges of Westland, headwaters of Otago lakes and rivers, and Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound.
“Amounts may approach warning criteria in localised place,” MetService said.
State Highway 6 between the Lower Buller Gorge and Punakaiki closed overnight due to a slip.
“Traffic travelling south detour on SH6 to Inangahua, SH69 to Reefton and SH7 to Greymouth. Reverse for northbound.”
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‘A week of ups and downs’
The first half of the week is expected to be dominated by a blocking high and a slow-moving front, bringing rain to the North Island and parts of the South Island. By midweek, the front will begin to shift, dragging wet weather further north and east. However, some eastern regions may escape the worst of it.
1News weather presenter Dan Corbett said: “Drier conditions are expected in places like Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury and Otago,” Corbett said. “If you’re there, you may not see as many showers.”
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But the reprieve is likely to be short-lived. The second half of the week is set to bring a sharp change, as colder air pushes in from the south, lowering snow levels to around 500 metres in parts of the lower South Island.
“You’ll have that raincoat to start with, and then by the end of the week, you’re probably saying, ‘Where are the layers?'” Corbett said.
There will be moments of sunshine, but Corbett cautioned these will be fleeting. “There will be some dry weather,” he said, “but it’s somewhat shoehorned in between a lot of other stuff going on.”
