Updated weather warnings mean updated road warnings as bad weather sets in on the South Island today.
SH6 Hokitika to Haast, West Coast - flooding
SH6 Franz Josef//Waiau, West Coast - fallen tree
The Metservice has issued heavy rain warnings for Tasman, Buller, and the West Coast. A heavy rain watch is in place for the Marlborough Sounds and Nelson, and a wind warning is in play for the Canterbury High Country.
For Tasman, west of Motueka, up to 100 mm of rain is forecast between 2 pm and 10 pm today. For Buller, 60 to 90 mm of rain is expected in the ranges between 1 pm and 9 pm.
Much heavier rainfall is on the cards for Westland south of Otira. Here, 220 to 350 mm of rain could fall in the ranges by 6 am Monday.
Meanwhile, a heavy rain watch is in force for Nelson and the Marlborough sounds with eight to ten hours of rain expected from late this afternoon.
A strong wind warning for north-west gales with gusts of up to 130 km/h is in place for the Canterbury high country through to Monday morning.
It means there is an increased risk of localised flooding, slips, rock and treefalls across the state highway networks in these regions.
Road users should drive to the conditions, use their headlights if visibility is poor, and watch their speed and following distances. High-sided vehicles and motorcycles should take care in areas where wind warnings are in place.
Drivers should be prepared for hazards. They should also check road conditions and weather alerts before they travel. Bad weather, slips, and flooding can see State Highways closed at short notice.
Waka Kotahi Traffic Updates(external link)
Metservice Weather warnings(external link)
Waka Kotahi is providing regular updates to the public as the severe weather continues to affect Aotearoa this week. Our Journey Planner(external link) page is updated by our traffic operations centres 24/7 to provide the latest available information on state highway closures and disruptions. Remember to refresh the page when checking the status of highways to ensure the latest updates are displayed.
