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Weather warnings are still in place for an already sodden Canterbury, with more flooding expected.
Heavy rain south of the Rakaia River was forecast from 2am today until 4am tomorrow, with 100mm to 130mm expected to accumulate about the foothills, and lesser amounts elsewhere, and heavy rain was also expected to continue falling in the region north of the river until midnight tonight, however, this was expected to ease during the afternoon and evening.
Christchurch streets were inundated with water catching some car owners out. Photo / George Heard
ALPINE ROADS AFFECTED
South Island alpine passes were also in for another dose of snow and road snowfall warnings were in force.
Snow has shut off several roads in the Canterbury and West Coast areas.
The Lindis Pass (State Highway 8 - Omarama to Tarras) is closed due to heavy snow and up to 10cm was expected to accumulate above 800 metres, with lesser amounts lower down to 300 metres this morning.
Lindis Pass on SH8 was affected by snow. Photo / Waka Kotahi
Please use an alternate route or delay your journey, Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency advised.
SH8 Fairlie to Twizel is also closed due to snow, as is SH73 Arthur's Pass to Otira and SH73 Porters Pass (Springfield to Arthur's Pass).
The Crown Range, linking Queenstown and Wanaka, is open but between 10cm to 15cm of snow was forecast to accumulate above 800 metres with lesser amounts lower down to 300 metres until 3pm today.
Chains must be used between Eastburn Gates and Chainbay 1, a spokesman for the Queenstown Lakes District Council said this morning.
MORE FLOODING FOR OTAGO
Dunedin and North Otago residents are being urged to watch for rapidly rising streams and rivers, surface flooding and slips after MetService issued a heavy rain warning for those areas today and tomorrow.
A MetService spokesman said a front was forecast to move slowly southwards over northern and central New Zealand today, bringing a broad band of rain with some heavy falls, and easterly to northeasterly gales.
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If you were thinking it has been especially wet in Christchurch, you'd be right.
As of this morning the airport has accumulated over 200mm of rain this month - the first time since records began in 1943.
A Dunedin City Council spokesman said staff and contractors were actively preparing ahead of the forecasted heavy rain for the area.
"The ground is already very wet following recent rain. Further significant rain could cause flooding and slips and make driving difficult."
He said staff and contractors began checking stormwater and wastewater systems yesterday and road maintenance contractors had been sweeping gutters around the city and doing additional checks of mud tanks in low-lying and high-risk areas.
"We are also asking any residents who notice a blocked mud tank near their home to clear debris on to the footpath, where it will be picked up by contractors when the weather clears.
"We will continue to closely monitor the situation and contractors will be on call to respond to issues as and when they arise."
Also as a result of the forecast, a small section of Portobello Rd near the Marne St intersection would remain closed due to a rockfall until at least Wednesday.
Contractors were on site over the weekend and managed to remove a substantial amount of rock from the cliff, but an even larger amount still needs to be removed.
"As more heavy rain is forecast, the road must remain closed to ensure public safety.
