Subj : Heavy rain to move north tomorrow after hammering West Coast
To   : All
From : News
Date : Thu Apr 11 2024 12:01 pm


State Highway 6 between Franz Josef and Haast remains closed after heavy rain
continued to batter the West Coast overnight.


The NZTA said the highway between Franz Josef and Fox Glacier would likely
remain closed over the weekend and would be reassessed on Monday at midday.
It means Fox Glacier is effectively cut off on both sides, north and south.


The highway between Fox Glacier and Haast will be reviewed tomorrow morning
at 10am.


A MetService meteorologist earlier told 1News there's been 200-350mm of
rainfall on the West Coast in the last 24 hours.


They said the highest rainfall was seen in the ranges. The Marlborough Sounds
experienced 225mm and parts of Westland saw 250mm.

Western parts of South Island still have heavy rain warnings in place until
this evening with more rain expected to fall today.


Due to the front being "slow moving" it allows more rain to fall in different
places, MetService explained.


They said the front will eventually move to the top of the South Island
before hitting the North Island tomorrow and into the weekend.


Heavy rain and possible thunderstorms are expected in the top half of the
North Island, with MetService saying the weather system will be closely
monitored.


As well as the West Coast another area that is looking likely to see an
especially wet Thursday is Southland. @WakaKotahiOS @SouthlandTimes
pic.twitter.com/20ioSoRdQS

- MetService (@MetService) April 10, 2024
Yesterday, MetService was anticipating the heavy rain to last several days
throughout the Westland and Buller Districts.


Westland EOC is working with MetService to provide on-the-ground updates for
accurate information to keep the community informed.


People were being urged to stay home and avoid any unnecessary travel, and to
evacuate early if they had any concerns.


They could stay up-to-date by visiting the West Coast Emergency Management
Facebook page or by listening to the radio news.


Latest weather watches, warnings
An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Coromandel Peninsula from 3am to
3pm tomorrow; Bay of Plenty, including Rotorua, from 4am to 11pm tomorrow;
Mount Taranaki from 12pm today to 9am tomorrow; Tasman northwest of Motueka
until 2am tomorrow; the Bryant Range, also inland Marlborough west of
Blenheim and north of the Awatere River, until 5am tomorrow; Buller District
south of Seddonville and northwest of Reefton until midnight tonight;
Westland District south of Hokitika until 3am tomorrow; headwaters of
Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur's Pass, until 3am tomorrow;
headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers until 2am tomorrow; Fiordland until
9pm tonight; and Southland until midnight tonight.

A heavy rain watch is in place for Northland from 6pm tonight to 9am
tomorrow; Nelson Lakes, Buller District about and southeast of Reefton, Grey
District, and Westland District about and north of Hokitika until 2am
tomorrow; and Clutha until 2am tomorrow.


A strong wind watch is in place for Canterbury High Country until 8pm
tonight; Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island
until 9am tomorrow; Taranaki south of the mountain, Taihape and the Whanganui
hill country from 1pm this afternoon to 9am tomorrow; Buller District,
Nelson/Tasman and Marlborough from 12pm today to 3am tomorrow; and Wellington
from 6pm tonight to 6am tomorrow.

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