Flooding in Tasman on Friday has closed State Highway 60 near Tākaka in the Tasman district.
The road is closed near Pupu Valley Road with no detour available, meaning there is no connection between Tākaka and Collingwood.
The Tasman District Council said moderate flooding was expected in the Tākaka River and tributaries, with potential flooding in nearby paddocks.
Several other South Island highways have been affected by the heavy rain, with flooding, slips and fallen trees on the West Coast.
They include State Highways 6, 7 and 73, although they remain open.
In the Buller district, emergency managers are asking freedom campers in Reefton to move away from the swollen Inangahua River.
People in the camping area on the Strand should move to higher ground because of the heavy rain.
Orange heavy rain warnings are in place for the Westland until 3am Saturday, the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur's Pass until 2am Saturday, and the ranges of Nelson and Marlborough between Nelson city and the Awatere River, along with Nelson Lakes National Park unitl 9pm Friday.
Gusts of up to 140km/h are forecast in exposed places in Canterbury high country, Marlborough, Wellington and Taranaki, with orange strong wind warnings in place from Friday afternoon.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane told Midday Report parts of Nelson and Tasman had recorded up to 200 to 300mm of rain, mostly in elevated areas, over the last 24 hours to 36 hours
She said there could be a further 120 to 160mm on Friday afternoon, along with strong winds.
"For the South Island, we could also see some thunderstorms, which could enhance that rainfall and wind," she said.
Makgabutlane said the unsettled weather would continue on Saturday, with showers and windy conditions forecast for many places.
"Into Sunday, the bulk of that weather has moved on but we could still see the odd shower and even maybe just a dusting of snow over those elevated parts of the South Island," she said.
MetService meteorologist David Miller said some South Island rain gauges had already recorded 100-130 millimetres in a 24-hour period.
"We've had some heavy rain in the ranges of the Tasman District and Westland on Thursday," he said.
"Heavy rain is expected to continue in these areas right up until Friday evening."
Swathe of orange warnings across the South Island
In the Tasman district's north-west, heavy showers are expected to continue into Saturday morning, with thunderstorms possible.
In the ranges of Nelson and Marlborough and Nelson Lakes National Park, between 80mm to 120mm of rain is forecast, but possibly as much as 140mm about the Richmond Range at 15 to 25mm and hour on Friday afternoon.
The heaviest rain hitting the top of the South Island is expected to fall on Friday night, with rivers due to peak before midnight.
Tasman District Council said most would fall between 6pm and 8pm, with river peaks between 7pm and 11pm.
In the Golden Bay ranges, a further 120-160 millimetres of rain was forecast, with peak intensities of 20-30mm/h possible.
Up to 360mm has fallen in the ranges of Golden Bay, 100mm in Collingwood, 100mm on the Tākaka Hill and 94mm in the Tākaka township.
The council said the Tākaka and Aorere Rivers stabilised this morning but were beginning to rise again.
Moderate flooding was expected in the Tākaka River and tributaries, with the potential for flooding in nearby paddocks.
The Riuwaka, Wai iti, Wairoa/Waimea and Maitai Rivers were also expected to reach moderate flood flows.
Surface flooding was expected in the Riwaka Valley and on State Highway 6 at the base of Tākaka Hill.
Between 80 to 230mm had fallen in the Richmond & Bryant Ranges, with the potential for up to 140mm more in the Richmond Ranges and a further 80-120mm across the eastern ranges and hills behind Nelson.
In the Buller and Grey districts, up to 130mm of rain is forecast about the ranges, at peak rates of 20 to 30mm/h on Friday afternoon with thunderstorms possible.
In the Westland district and the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers, up to 220mm of rain is forecast about the ranges, at peak rates of up to 30mm/h.
Severe gale northerlies and north-westerlies are forecast to gust up to 130km/h in exposed places in the Canterbury High Country, Marlborough, Wellington and Taranaki.
Winds are expected to ease from the south early on Saturday morning.
Strong winds are also forecast for the Nelson and Tasman districts, Buller, Grey and Westland districts north of Whataroa, Christchurch and the Canterbury Plains and Fiordland north of Bligh Sound, along with Taihape and inland Whanganui, Wairarapa and the Tararua district.
Slips and flooding possible
Nelson City Council said there was surface flooding between Nelson and Renwick, and Maitai Valley Road was closed from Ralphine Way.
Network Tasman said a fallen tree had taken out powerlines feeding a section of Wakapuaka Road, Cable Bay, Teal Valley and Kokoroa, with 400 homes affected.
The Tasman District Council is warning people to be aware of slips and fallen trees, with strong winds and the heaviest rain forecast to hit the top of the South Island from Friday afternoon.
In the ranges of Golden Bay and Tākaka Hill, between 150 and 275mm of rain was recorded overnight, with the highest amounts in the Aorere River catchment.
The council said moderate flooding was expected in the Tākaka River and its tributaries, with a possibility of water across the road at Waitapu Splash on State Highway 60 and the river expected to peak in the early evening.
Moderate flooding was also expected in the Wai-iti, Wairoa and Motupiko Rivers, with people warned to expect water on the road between Korere and Kikiwa and State Highway 6 near Kohatu.
The council was expecting big waves in Golden and Tasman Bays, with wind-driven waves along the Abel Tasman coastline and shorelines of Ruby Bay through to D'urville Island.
Across in Nelson, between 120mm to 180mm but as much as 250mm was expected to fall in the Richmond Ranges, behind the Maitai River through to St Arnaud, on top of rain that fell on Thursday.
The Maitai River could also see a moderate flood, with the river full to its banks and flowing across low-lying paddocks and low points in roads.
The council said there was a possibility of land slips in places where the ground was sodden and there were strong winds, particularly in Pōhara, Abel Tasman, Richmond and Nelson.
Trees could also come down with severe northerly gales possible in exposed places and thunderstorms could cause localised surface flooding, Tasman said.
The Transport Agency was urging people to take extra care on State Highway 6 between Makarora in Otago and Haast on the West Coast because of flooding.
The NZTA said people should adjust their speed on slippery roads and avoid travelling through floodwater.
This story was first published on rnz.co.nz |  |
