Power cuts as parts of South Island lashed by heavy wind and rain

Source: Radio New Zealand

Parts of the South Island are being lashed by heavy rain, while wind gusts of up to 140 kilometres-per-hour are forecast in the Canterbury high country and Marlborough.

Orange heavy rain warnings are in place for the Westland, Buller and Grey districts, the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur’s Pass, the Tasman district north-west of Motueka and the ranges of Nelson and Marlborough between Nelson city and the Awatere River, along with Nelson Lakes National Park.

A rapidly deepening low approaches the South Island.
This morning we can see the leading band of rain over the upper South Island sinking South.

Another active front approaches the North Island from the west.

In the Tasman Sea thunderstorms are brewing. Western parts of the… pic.twitter.com/11Szdz7xUp

— MetService NZ (@MetService) May 7, 2026

Gusts of up to 140 kilometres-per-hour are forecast in exposed places in Canterbury high country, Marlborough, Wellington and Taranaki, with orange strong wind warnings in place from Friday afternoon.

MetService meteorologist David Miller said some South Island rain gauges had already recorded 100-130 millimetres in a 24-hour period.

“We’ve had some heavy rain in the ranges of the Tasman District and Westland on Thursday,” he said.

“Heavy rain is expected to continue in these areas right up until Friday evening.”

Swathe of orange warnings across the South Island

In the Tasman district’s north-west, 120 to 160mm of rain is expected on top of what has already fallen, with thunderstorms possible.

Heavy showers are expected to continue into Saturday morning.

In the ranges of Nelson and Marlborough and Nelson Lakes National Park, between 80mm to 120mm of rain is forecast, but possibly as much as 140mm about the Richmond Range at 15 to 25mm and hour on Friday afternoon.

In the Buller and Grey districts, up to 130mm of rain is forecast about the ranges, at peak rates of 20 to 30 mm/h on Friday afternoon with thunderstorms possible.

In the Westland district and the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers, up to 220mm of rain is forecast about the ranges, at peak rates of up to 30mm/h.

Severe gale northerlies and north-westerlies are forecast to gust up to 130 kilometres-per-hour in exposed places in the Canterbury High Country, Marlborough, Wellington and Taranaki.

Winds are expected to ease from the south early on Saturday morning.

Strong winds are also forecast for the Nelson and Tasman districts, Buller, Grey and Westland districts north of Whataroa, Christchurch and the Canterbury Plains and Fiordland north of Bligh Sound, along with Taihape and inland Whanganui, Wairarapa and the Tararua district.

Slips and flooding possible

Nelson City Council said there was surface flooding between Nelson and Renwick, and Maitai Valley Road was closed from Ralphine Way.

Network Tasman said a fallen tree had taken out powerlines feeding a section of Wakapuaka Road, Cable Bay, Teal Valley and Kokoroa, with 400 homes affected.

The Tasman District Council is warning people to be aware of slips and fallen trees, with strong winds and the heaviest rain forecast to hit the top of the South Island from Friday afternoon.

In the ranges of Golden Bay and Tākaka Hill, between 150 and 275mm of rain was recorded overnight, with the highest amounts in the Aorere River catchment.

The council said moderate flooding was expected in the Tākaka River and its tributaries, with a possibility of water across the road at Waitapu Splash on State Highway 60 and the river expected to peak in the early evening.

Moderate flooding was also expected in the Wai-iti, Wairoa and Motupiko Rivers, with people warned to expect water on the road between Korere and Kikiwa and State Highway 6 near Kohatu.

The council was expecting big waves in Golden and Tasman Bays, with wind-driven waves along the Abel Tasman coastline and shorelines of Ruby Bay through to D’urville Island.

Across in Nelson, between 120mm to 180mm but as much as 250mm was expected to fall in the Richmond Ranges, behind the Maitai River through to St Arnaud, on top of rain that fell on Thursday.

The Maitai River could also see a moderate flood, with the river full to its banks and flowing across low-lying paddocks and low points in roads.

The council said there was a possibility of land slips in places where the ground was sodden and there were strong winds, particularly in Pōhara, Abel Tasman, Richmond and Nelson.

Trees could also come down with severe northerly gales possible in exposed places and thunderstorms could cause localised surface flooding, Tasman said.

The Transport Agency was urging people to take extra care on State Highway 6 between Makarora in Otago and Haast on the West Coast because of flooding.

The NZTA said people should adjust their speed on slippery roads and avoid travelling through floodwater.

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