Heavy rain warnings issued for South Island’s west with more severe weather possible

Source: Radio New Zealand

A front will bring heavy rain to parts of the South Island from later today with up to 400 millimetres predicted in some areas.

️Severe Weather Update️

1️⃣️The first of two weather systems in the next few days is tracking onto the bottom of the South Island today. The heaviest rain is set to fall about the ranges.

2️⃣️A brief reprieve for the west coast before the next system starting Friday.… pic.twitter.com/T5AFsyHd2x

— MetService NZ (@MetService) May 5, 2026

MetService has issued orange heavy rain warnings for Tasman District northwest of Motueka, Buller, Westland and Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound.

Up to 400 millimetres of rain could fall on the ranges in the Tasman District with peak rates of between 20 to 30 millimetres an hour.

Buller and Westland could also expect between 200 and 300mm of rain, with chances of thunderstorms.

MetService said the warnings meant streams and rivers might rise rapidly, and there could be surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions.

Heavy rain watches were also issued for the Richmond and Bryant ranges, Grey District, and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters.

There was a high change of Richmond and Bryant ranges upgrading to a warning, while a moderate chance for other areas.

MetService warned that more heavy rain and possible gales were expected to hit the South Island on Friday and Saturday due to the low pressure system.

It will bring a change to strong southwesterlies as we moved into the weekend, with large swells possible for western coastlines, MetService said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand