Visitors to the West Coast for the holiday weekend, including for the Greymouth Motorcycle Street Race, are being urged to prepare for disruptions to travel in and out of the region.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi West Coast maintenance contract manager Moira Whinham said the recent battering of the region had affected the highway network and saturated the ground, meaning an increased vulnerability to flooding and slips.
With more challenging weather forecast for Monday (Labour Day), further closures of state highways and other travel restrictions around the West Coast might be possible.
The road hazards were in addition to ongoing challenges around supply of electricity and water.
The MetService’s forecasting indicated heavy rain for the Buller and Grey districts, Northern Westland as well as central and northern parts of the Canterbury high country on Monday.
Snow to relatively low levels over the east of the South Island was also expected, which might affect highways and alpine passes between the coasts.
"For those who are travelling to the West Coast for the weekend, we would strongly encourage them to plan for the possibility of being unable to travel around the region or travel home as they had planned," Ms Whinham said.
