Update: 5:44am – Snow and ice in the South Island yesterday, including in Dunedin and Canterbury, forced road closures and caused minor road crashes, and heavy rain and gales halted ferries and disrupted flights in the capital.
Here’s a summary of the latest severe weather warning from MetService – foreasters will be updating this around 9am.
Significant rainfall expected about the lower North Island, especially Wairarapa, Wellington, Kapiti and higher parts of Manawatu with up to 170m about the hills and ranges, and 70-100mm about lower lying areas of Wairarapa and Wellington.
Southerly gales will continue to affect central New Zealand until Friday, with severe gales about the Marlborough Sounds, Wellington, Kapiti and Taranaki.
The strongest winds will be Wednesday night and Thursday morning, when gusts of 140 km/h are likely, especially about Wellington. Wairarapa has now been added to this warning.
The heaviest snow is expected about parts of north Canterbury and the Kaikoura District above 400 metres and the central North Island high country above 600 metres, with over 20 cm expected in these areas and with lesser amounts below these levels.
-RNZ
