Heavy rain warnings remain today, but the extreme weekend rain and wind are set to ease later after overnight gusts of 130km/h and intense downpours.
MetService forecaster Alannah Burrows told the Herald the low-pressure system would head southwards off the country today.
“As it does that, the heavy rain we saw yesterday will gradually clear from the north,” she said.
“It’s heading directly south and getting further away from New Zealand as it tracks out.”
Burrow said rain north of Taihape in the central North Island would ease throughout this morning.
🔴🔴RED HEAVY RAIN WARNING IN FORCE FOR MANAWATU, RANGITIKEI and RUAPEHU DISTRICTS north of FEILDING and east of STATE HIGHWAY 1
— MetService NZ (@MetService) February 15, 2026
Valid from 6pm Sunday-2pm Monday
‼️Expect 140 to 180 mm of rain
Check details herehttps://t.co/qHyE5zySvx@nztacni @HorizonsRC pic.twitter.com/W5YI4YNRYQ
“The regions south of that line would start to ease throughout the afternoon.”
The red heavy rain warning in place for Manawatū, Rangitīkei and Ruapehu Districts north of Feilding and east of SH1 is forecast to expire at 2pm today.
Meanwhile, the orange heavy rain warnings in place for Gisborne, south of Poverty Bay to the eastern Hawke’s Bay hills from Cape Kidnappers southwards, are set to expire early this morning.
The orange heavy rain warnings in place for Taihape, inland Whanganui, and Manawatū will expire at 2pm, and the Wellington, Wairarapa, Tararua District, and the Tararua Ranges warning will expire at 7pm.
In the South Island, the heavy rain warning in place for the Kaikōura District and Canterbury north of Amberley is forecast to expire at 9pm.
🟡🟠Severe Weather Warnings and Watches for Heavy Rain and Gale to Severe Gale south to southwesterly winds updated 🍃🌧️.
— MetService NZ (@MetService) February 14, 2026
⏲️Valid for today Sunday and Monday.
All the details herehttps://t.co/qHyE5zzql5@NZcivildefence @nztamain pic.twitter.com/464eIisPTC
The winds which battered the lower North Island and upper South Island overnight would ease by the afternoon as well, Burrows said.
The severe wind warnings in place for the lower North Island are forecast to expire today.
The strong wind warnings in place along the eastern side of the North Island from Gisborne, north of Poverty Bay, down to Wairarapa and the Tararua District are forecast to expire early this morning.
Meanwhile, the strong wind warning in place for Wellington and eastern Marlborough is set to expire at 3pm.
“As that system tracks south, it is going to take those winds with it,” Burrows said.
However, the strong winds would continue to affect the upper and eastern parts of the South Island until the afternoon.
💨 Strong winds for the lower NI, upper eastern SI - exposed gusts 130+ km/h overnight–Mon
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) February 15, 2026
🌧️ Heavy rain ongoing, with @MetService Red Rain Warnings in parts of the central NI.
⚠️ Combined impacts: fallen trees 🌳, power outages ⚡, slips ⛰️, flooding 💦 & travel disruption 🚗 pic.twitter.com/lIraVAa4NE
This comes after the North Island and upper South Island were battered overnight by severe conditions.
Burrows called last night’s spell the most hazardous.
“The low pressure and the really heavy rain with a lot of moisture from the tropics would push widespread heavy rain onto the North Island.”
Niwa Weather said gusts across the lower North Island and upper and eastern parts of the South Island were tipped to reach over 130km/h.
Intense rainfall wreaked havoc across Waikato on Friday and Saturday, with state highways closed and Kāwhia isolated by slips and flooding.
One couple took to their tractors in the early hours of Saturday to rescue 18 neighbours and all their pets.
On Saturday, Tolaga Bay and Poroporo in the Tairāwhiti/Gisborne district both saw more than 100mm of rain.
🌧️Biggest rain totals last 24 hours in
— MetService NZ (@MetService) February 14, 2026
Tairawhiti, Gisborne:
Poroporo 102mm
Tolaga Bay 100mm
Te Puia 78mm
Gisborne Airport 65mm
🟡🟠Warning and Watches updated 10am this morning!
🔗 https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5
All your forecasts herehttps://t.co/Yjbq0jgaoz pic.twitter.com/5o3PTezXfX
Ōtorohanga man Brent Knowles died after his car became submerged in floodwaters while travelling on SH39.
Tributes quickly began to emerge online, with Venturer Fishing Charters Kawhia remembering Knowles in a heartfelt post on Sunday morning as a familiar and valued regular.
His daughter shared a deeply personal message, describing him as a “beautiful Dad”.
“You were my world, I loved you so much. Life will never be the same. Broken,” she wrote.
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