Heavy rain and strong gales to hit parts of NZ

Heavy rain and strong gales are expected to blast parts of central and southern New Zealand today.

MetService has issued a severe weather watch for Canterbury, Fiordland, Marlborough, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Wairarapa and Wellington.

Forecasters said heavy rain and northwest gales were expected to continue in many of these areas today.

MetService said a band of very heavy rain would probably move northwards today.

Although the rain was expected to ease in many areas, more heavy rain was possible on the West Coast and Southern Alps into the weekend.

A heavy rain warning was in force this morning for northern Fiordland, Westland, the Canterbury and Otago Lakes, Buller and northwest Nelson.

Further north, MetService expected a dumping of heavy rain on Mt Taranaki and the Tararuas from tonight to tomorrow afternoon.

Severe northwest gales were expected in Southland and Otago this afternoon. MetService said similar gales were forecast in the Canterbury coast and plains this morning but should ease this evening.

But in Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa, the gales could become severe in exposed places this evening, MetService said.

NZME. jw