Civil Defence Emergency Management and the MetService are keeping a close eye on a large weather system which has potential to bring a major deluge and flooding to Dunedin on Thursday.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said while it was still early days, the forecast was showing a front being driven by a large area of low pressure in the Tasman Sea, which would move east across the South Island late tomorrow and early Thursday.
"Once that weather band moves off the country, it looks like it wraps around and then brings in some of that rain to the eastern part of the country, specifically along the Otago and southeastern coastline."
The MetService forecast at this stage is for persistent rain with heavy falls in the morning, and southerlies becoming fresh.
If the forecast held firm, the amount of rain predicted had the potential to cause surface flooding and difficult driving conditions around Dunedin.
"It’s still early days and there’s various ways that things could develop.
"But if we see that possibility of periods of heavier rain, we’ll definitely be getting that information out there."
She urged Dunedin residents to keep a close eye on the weather forecast.
Emergency Management Otago Group public information manager Erica Andrews said the organisation was constantly monitoring the forecasts.
"We continue to monitor all weather forecasts, and if things sort of start to heat up a little bit, you’ll probably start to see some messaging coming out."
A Dunedin City Council spokesman said council contractors were also keeping a close eye on the forecasts and would have staff ready to make preparations for a period of heavy rain, should the need arise.
"This will include clearing leaf fall, checking and clearing the city’s stormwater systems, sweeping gutters and checking mud tanks.
"We’ll make a final call on the need for this as the forecast firms up."
Again, it is still early days, but MetService is also forecasting snow down to 400m in parts of inland Otago and Southland on Friday night and Saturday morning.
