Severe weather to hit much of NZ

Photo / Alan Gibson

The weekend's wild weather may be behind us, but heavy rain and winds are set to strike much of the country today and tomorrow.

MetService has issued a severe weather warning for Fiordland, Southland, Westland, Otago, Canterbury, Wairarapa, Wellington, Marlborough and Hawkes Bay, as a "deepening low" races up the country.

The low is forecast to pass to the south of Stewart Island tonight, bringing heavy rain to the West Coast in a "very humid northwesterly flow" and gales to eastern areas from Southland to central Hawkes Bay.

MetService forecasts 80 to 120mm of rain for Fiordland and the ranges of Westland from tonight to early tomorrow afternoon.

"Although this is not an unusual amount for this area, streams and rivers are likely to rise quickly and there could be slips and surface flooding on some roads." forecaster Ian Miller said.

Gusts of around 130km/h are possible in exposed areas from Southland to Canterbury late tonight till about noon tomorrow, and about the Marlborough Sounds, Wellington and Wairarapa early tomorrow through to mid-afternoon.

MetService warned these winds have the potential to cause damage to trees, powerlines and insecure buildings and driving conditions could be hazardous especially for high sided vehicles and motorcycles.

Meanwhile the clean up continues following Tropical Cyclone Wilma's visit last weekend. NZTA said a large rock slip on Thames Coast Rd (State Highway 25) at Ruamahanga Bay - one of many slips that closed roads around the Coromandel Peninsula - will not likely be cleared until Thursday.

Thames Coromandel District Council operations manager Greg Hampton said all other roads around the peninsula are open, although some only open to single lanes.

Flooding in some places like Mercury Bay "was as bad as we've seen in decades", he said.

- NZ HERALD STAFF