“The risk of flooding and slips are high, follow the advice of local authorities,” MetService said.
Dunedin City Council said it had sent its contractors out to check the stormwater system, but also asked residents to clear drains of leaf litter and debris. Otago Civil Defence is telling people to take care and keep up to date with forecasts.
Surface flooding has already been reported around Otago and Southland after downpours yesterday.
The Bay of Plenty and the northern Gisborne region could get 120mm of rain while under an orange heavy rain warning for 14 hours from 9am today. In the South Island, Southland will be subject to a heavy rain watch for 24 hours from midday today and Fiordland for 19 hours from 9am.
Auckland, meanwhile, should expect fine conditions apart from the odd morning shower, MetService said. The daily high in the city is expected to reach 17C before falling to 8C overnight.
‘People need to act now’ - MetService
MetService said: “People need to act now as immediate action is required to protect people, animals and property from the impact of the weather”.
Red warnings are reserved for the most extreme weather events, the forecaster said.
MetService meteorologist John Law said: “This region [parts of Otago and Southland] is especially vulnerable to heavy rainfall, especially following the wet weather we have already seen this year.
“Easterly winds are set to drive rain into Dunedin, coastal Clutha and eastern Otago throughout Thursday and into Friday.”
This is the second red weather warning MetService has issued this year. It is the 15th red warning issued in New Zealand history.
The Civil Defence bunker in Dunedin has been “activated” and sandbags are being handed out at the Dunedin Ice Stadium carpark, the Mosgiel Memorial Park gym carpark and the Middlemarch Showgrounds.
Flooding had already been reported by 10.20am, a Dunedin City Council spokesman said. The Otago Regional Council is monitoring river levels.
Clean up around NZ after thunder
After the severe thunderstorms forecast to strike the North Island overnight, this morning the forecast is for showers.
More than 100 properties in Whitianga have been left without power after wind caused trees to fall on power lines.
The township of Ferry Landing has 103 properties affected, with restoration estimated for 10am.
MetService lifted the severe thunderstorm watch over Auckland and Northland at 4.40am today.
MetService forecaster Heath Gullery said 40 to 60mm of rain fell in Auckland from about 8pm to 5am.
He said this was not “extreme” and suggested “a few really heavy periods of rain”.
Barrow said most northern and western areas were forecast to be out of the rain by this afternoon.
“The rain would probably hang on for a bit longer for eastern places of the North Island until evening.”
MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris said it was “a bad start for the first week of the school holidays”.
Ferris said the severe weather was brought about by a low-pressure system approaching from the Tasman Sea, which dragged some warm and humid air across New Zealand.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.