It is a wet start to the summer for most of New Zealand, with heavy rain watches issued in both the South and North Islands.
Metservice confirmed heavy rain is expected on Sunday for the west and far north of the South Island as well as parts of the North Island.
In the South Island, MetService meteorologist, Ngaire Wotherstoon, said an orange heavy rain warning was in place for the Tasman Ranges northwest of Motueka, Buller and Westland from Otira northwards with up to 60mm of additional rain expected on Sunday afternoon.
“In the last 24 hours, some of the more exposed places have got up to 120mm of rain,” she told Stuff.
“It’s been raining there for a long time, and it is going to keep going.”
The heavy rain should, however, ease later in the afternoon.
Monique Ford/Stuff
It’s due to be a wet start to the summer for most of New Zealand this weekend.
Bryant and Richmond ranges, and the Rai Valley also have a heavy rain warning still in place, with up to 50mm more rain likely.
“We’ve got a series of fronts moving up, the strongest one is affecting that area until 4pm,” said Wotherstoon.
It’s also going to be a “rainy day for most of the North Island” with an expected 60mm and 80mm of rain in elevated areas of Eastern Bay of Plenty. Warnings are in place until 3am.
Residents of Mt Ruapehu and Taupo, and south of Turangi, should expect periods of heavy rain between 3pm and midnight, and those in the Tararua Range are looking at periods of heavy rain until 10pm.
There’s also a risk of thunderstorms in Canterbury and a moderate risk in Northland on Monday.
“It’s an interesting weather situation,” said Wotherstoon, with a “moist northwesterly flow” across the North Island and “cold fronts moving up”, there’s likely to be a “sharp dip in temperatures” in the South Island and lower North Island as the cold fronts move up.
“It’ll feel like quite a sharp drop,” she said.
