MetService warns of heavy rain this evening
MetService New Zealand has issued a heavy rain watch for Queenstown Lakes and the lower South Island.
Forecasters expect rain from 4pm today, Tuesday, 21 February, with the watch in place for 16 hours, to 8am on Wednesday.
"A period of rain, with some heavy falls possible. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, especially in the east where the threshold for heavy rain is lower," the forecast says.
The Heavy Rain Watch, which are not as serious as orange or red warnings, covers the whole of Otago and also the ranges of Westland south of Otira, Canterbury south of the Rakaia River, northern Fiordland, and Southland.
Most of these watches are set to start later today (Tuesday), but the kick-off for Canterbury is early tomorrow morning.
"A frontal system over the Tasman Sea is expected to move onto the far south of the South Island around midday today, then move slowly northwards over southern and central New Zealand by midnight Wednesday.
"This front is preceded by a period of northwesterly rain in the west of the South Island, while a period of southerly rain follows the front in eastern regions. There is the possibility of some heavy falls over southern New Zealand, and Heavy Rain Watches are in force for many areas."
People are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case some changes are made, or further areas are added.
Full details over at the MetService website.
