Returning Labour Weekend holidaymakers warned to expect major choke points as weather conditions turn sour

A weekend of sunshine will be brought to a halt today, which may cause problems for thousands of holiday-makers as they return home.

NZTA is warning of likely traffic choke points today on major roads and police are urging motorists to be patient and drive to the conditions to avert further tragedies.

A front is moving over the South Island overnight on Sunday, says MetService meteorologist Aidan Pyselman, which will then move over the rest of the country today.

The front will bring a period of rain, along with severe gusts.

"Persistent heavy rain may affect Fiordland and southern Westland during Monday as a front approaches the area from the south," MetService forecasts.

Heavy rain watches for Westland south of Harihari and Fiordland are in force.

Canterbury, Otago and Southland will also see rain, with snow lowering to 500m inland, but becoming fine in the afternoon.

Northland to Taumarunui and Taupo, including Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty will be mostly fine with a few showers developing as the front passes through.

It is a similar story for Taranaki and Taihape to Wellington, including Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Nelson and Marlborough, but with slightly more cloud increasing throughout the day.

The weather will hopefully not affect holidaymakers returning home today after the long weekend, who are expected to jam roads in traditional traffic hotspots.

Waka Kotahi has listed the areas where the highest volumes of traffic are expected. They include:

• For Auckland, SH1 between Puhoi and Wellsford and SH1 Manukau to Bombay.

Plan ahead for southbound traffic delays on #SH1 between Puhoi and Wellsford from 10:30am-6pm TODAY (Mon 24 Oct) as road users return home from the long weekend. Consider leaving when traffic is lighter, either early in the morning or late at night. https://t.co/xnu5HHOegj. ^MF pic.twitter.com/L3zV0h23PR

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) October 23, 2022

• For Bay of Plenty, SH2 between Paeroa and Waihi, also between Tauranga and Katikati and SH29 Kaimai (West of Tauranga).

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC: Plan ahead for southbound traffic delays on #SH25 in Tairua from 10am-5.30pm TODAY (Mon 24 Oct) as road users return home from the long weekend. Consider leaving when traffic is lighter, either in the morning or late at night. More: https://t.co/4Us3s4VOM3. ^MF pic.twitter.com/yj4EAjN2ww

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) October 23, 2022

• For Canterbury, SH1 between Ashburton and Christchurch, Timaru and Waipara, SH75 in Akaroa Peninsula, SH79 in Geraldine and SH73 in Arthur's Pass.

• For Manawatū-Whanganui, SH2 Norsewood between Hastings, SH3 in Woodville and Whanganui and SH1 between Taihape and Waiouru.

• For Northland, SH1 in Kawakawa and Whangarei.

• For Otago, SH6 in Queenstown and SH8 east of Wanaka.

• For Waikato, SH25 in Tairua, SH1 from Tirau to Karapiro and SH2 from Pokeno to Maramarua.

• For Wellington, SH1 in Kapiti Coast between Peka Peka and Otaki, SH2 on Remutaka Hill between Wellington and Featherston, SH1 in Ohau and SH2 in Silverstream.

Last night the long weekend holiday road toll stood at three, with other crashes also leaving motorists critically injured.

One young person was fighting for their life on Saturday after a fleeing, stolen car carrying four children aged between 10 and 15 struck another vehicle, then collided with a power pole and post box.

The serious crash happened about 3.30am in Linwood where the critically injured victim was ejected from the car.

On Saturday night, a person died in a crash on SH35 about 6km north of Waihau Bay after a single-vehicle crash.

This followed another fatal crash on a North Island road earlier in the Lower Hutt suburb of Taitā. Police were called to the single-car smash about 11am on Saturday.

Another person died in a crash in Waikato on Horotiu Rd, off SH39, about 11am on Saturday.

Last year's Labour Weekend holiday road toll was seven.

New Zealand is tracking towards having one of the highest annual road death tolls in more than a decade, with 296 deaths as of October 20.