Weather: Orange rain warnings, strong winds, thunderstorms forecast as winter blast arrives
The country is about to be "plunged into winter" with snow to sea level possible in Canterbury and Otago by the weekend, MetService says.
A long list of of rain and wind warnings and watches are in place as a winter blast is set to converge on both islands.
It's coming from across the Tasman Sea and
bringing heavy rain, gale-force winds, and potential snow
.
Today's rain radar map
Photo:
Screenshot / MetService
The South Island's orange-level rain warnings cover the Tasman District, west of Motueka, from 6am on Wednesday; and Marlborough, northwest of the Richmond Range, and Nelson, east of the city, from 9am.
Orange warnings for the North Island kick in for Taranaki Maunga from 7am; Northern Taihape and the southern parts of Taupō and Taumarunui from 10am; the Tararua Range from 11am.
Most of these places can expect up to 150mm of rain with peak intensities of 20-30mm per hour, though the upper slopes of Taranaki Maunga could see heavier rain of up to 220mm.
A further orange heavy rain warning is in place for Bay of Plenty, east of Whakatāne, and inland Gisborne/Tai Rāwhiti from 8pm on Wednesday into Thursday morning.
Heavy rain watches are in place for Fiordland, north of Breaksea Sound, overnight; and Horowhenua, Kāpiti Coast and Wellington from Wednesday morning.
Similar watches are in effect from Wednesday afternoon for Northland, Auckland and Great Barrier Island; Buller and Grey Districts south of Karamea; and Westland District, north of Fox Glacier.
There's a long list of weather warnings and watches covering most of the country for the next few days.
Photo:
Screenshot / MetService
MetService meteorologist Heather Keats described the list of warnings and watches as "huge" as the system begins to affect the country.
She said "significant" wind and rain watches were in place, with some areas under orange rain warnings.
"There's also thunderstorms again tied up in this system. So as the fronts travel across, they're going to possibly bring more downpours and we're expecting them to spark up from this afternoon...
"We're talking again from about Westland all the way up the west of the entire North Island and as far east as Bay of Plenty."
They could deliver up to 40mm of rain in an hour, Keats said, and a potential for flooding.
"That warm northerly system meets a very biting southerly and that's when the snow kicks off from about midnight tonight."
Canterbury, excluding Banks Peninsula, was under a heavy snow watch, with snow expected to fall above 300m, Keats said.
There was the potential for snow at sea level for Otago and Canterbury from overnight on Friday.
"So Christchurch, Dunedin you could be seeing some snow for winter as early as Friday night, Saturday.
"It does feel like we're going to be plunged into winter because this biting southerly is for the entire country."
It meant temperatures would be much colder than usual for this time of year, she said.
Strong winds were expected for Wellington, Taranaki, Auckland and Northland. It might make conditions difficult for commuters in major cities, such as Auckland, Keats said.
It was unlikely the rain warnings would be upgraded to red although it paid to keep an eye on the rain radar, she said.
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