More wild weather on way for South

A day after wild weather hammered the South, MetService is warning that more gale-force winds and heavy rain could be on the way.

Strong winds yesterday brought down trees and grounded flights and surface flooding affected some roads as a front moved up the country.

MetService said the front was weakening today as it moved north over the North Island, and conditions were easing. 

• Winds ground flights, bowl caravan  

However, a west to northwesterly flow following the front was expected to strengthen over the country today, and more fronts from over the Tasman Sea were expected to bring heavy rain to the west of the South Island. 

#Queenstown NZ has picked up 7.4mm of rain last two hours https://t.co/uFKvHu3UcT pic.twitter.com/eXevJC3lQv

— Chester Lampkin (@chesterlampkin) May 13, 2016

MetService said a heavy rain warning was in force for Westland today, while a severe weather watch was in place for Fiordland.

As the flow strengthened, west to northwest gales could become severe in parts of the South, including Dunedin, Clutha, North Otago and Southland.

Gales were also likely further north from Canterbury through to Wellington.