Wild weather: Surface flooding in Invercargill as heavy rain sets in for South Island

Surface flooding has hit Invercargill as the South braces for a barrage of heavy rain, wind and snow.

Pools of water are starting to encroach on to Kelvin St and contractors are working to clear drains in the southern city.

Heavy rain is forecast throughout the South today as a major front makes its way up the country.

SH6 between Makarora and Haast has been closed by a slip. Photo / Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

Further north near Makarora, Muddy Creek has flooded on to State Highway 6, covering the road in earth and debris.

Frances Adank of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said the road was closed and it could take hours to clear.

A heavy snow watch was added to the raft of heavy rain and strong wind warnings this morning.

MetService issued the watch for Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes to run from 6am until 3pm tomorrow.

Heavy rain in the region is expected to turn to snow above 500 metres, with heavy snowfall possible above 700m.

🌨HEAVY SNOW WATCH
Cold air from the south is set to bring significant snowfall on Friday. Bad timing with lambing and calving underway and just in time for school holiday travel.
Details: https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 pic.twitter.com/oub3HNwJLv

— MetService (@MetService) September 20, 2023

Heavy rain warnings are in place for the headwaters of Otago lakes and rivers, Fiordland, Southland and Clutha.

Up to 300mm of rain is expected in the Southern Alps, with possible thunderstorms accompanying lower levels further east.

Southland and Clutha can expect 50 to 80mm of rain, especially northwest of Lumsden, until about 6pm today. Peak rates of 10 to 15 millimetres per hour are likely.

The rest of Otago, including Dunedin, is under a heavy rain watch for 24 hours from 11am today.

The heaviest rain is expected to fall this afternoon as a southerly kicks in and sends temperatures plummeting from 20C this morning to 10C by 6pm.

Balclutha (26.2C), Oban in Stewart Island(23.5C), Orari near Ashburton (28.2C) and Tautuku in the Catlins (25.6C) all hit their warmest September day on record yesterday.

It was Dunedin’s warmest September day in 14 years, reaching 24.7degC.