- The highest possible weather warning has been issued for Dunedin: Rain could cause ‘threat to life’ - MetService. 

- Civil Defence is telling people in Otago and Southland to keep an eye on forecasts and be prepared for the heavy rain by clearing drains and self-evacuating if necessary. 

- Bay of Plenty and Gisborne also subject to alerts. Flash flooding and slips are possible. 

MetService has issued its highest severe weather warning for the bottom of the South Island, where 150mm of rain is forecast over a 34-hour period.

Heavy rainfall is also tipped to continue around the North Island until tonight.

North Otago, Dunedin and coastal Clutha will be under a red heavy rain warning for 34 hours from 11am today. MetService said the extreme rainfall could cause a “threat to life from dangerous river conditions and significant flooding and slips”.

With two months of rain possible in just over a day, the national forecaster has warned people to prepare for power cuts and telecommunications outages, and be ready to self-evacuate if they see rising water.

“The risk of flooding and slips are high, follow the advice of local authorities,” MetService said.

Dunedin City Council said it had sent its contractors out to check the stormwater system, but also asked residents to clear drains of leaf litter and debris. Otago Civil Defence is telling people to take care and keep up to date with forecasts.

Surface flooding has already been reported around Otago and Southland after downpours yesterday.

The Bay of Plenty and the northern Gisborne region could get 120mm of rain while under an orange heavy rain warning for 14 hours from 9am today. In the South Island, Southland will be subject to a heavy rain watch for 24 hours from midday today and Fiordland for 19 hours from 9am.

Auckland, meanwhile, should expect fine conditions apart from the odd morning shower, MetService said. The daily high in the city is expected to reach 17C before falling to 8C overnight.

After the severe thunderstorms forecast to strike the North Island overnight, this morning the forecast is for showers. 

More than 100 properties in Whitianga have been left without power after wind has caused trees to fall on power lines. 

The township of Ferry Landing has 103 properties affected, with restoration estimated for 10am. 

MetService lifted the severe thunderstorm watch over Auckland and Northland at 4.40am today. 

MetService forecaster Heath Gullery said 40 to 60mm of rain fell in Auckland from about 8pm to 5am. 

He said this was not “extreme” and suggested “a few really heavy periods of rain”. 

MetService forecaster Gerard Barrow said heavy rain was forecast to ease off just before dawn. 

“You go into maybe a short period of westerlies with more showers. 

“You could see some fine spells, but there probably will be some showers affecting the Auckland area during Thursday.” 

Barrow said most northern and western areas were forecast to be out of the rain by this afternoon. 

“The rain would probably hang on for a bit longer for eastern places of the North Island until evening.” 

Intense downpours began hitting the south of the country early yesterday, and snowstorms were expected later. 

Severe thunderstorms were forecast to strike the top of the North Island last night, with squally downpours bringing threats of flash flooding. 

Several regions were placed under weather warnings and watches after MetService issued a swathe of alerts for the South and North Islands. 

Auckland was under a severe thunderstorm watch for eight hours from 8pm. Winds were forecast to gust up to 80km/h in parts of the city. Heavy rain was forecast to linger before turning fine. 

The storm-battered Gisborne region, north of Ruatōria, had its severe weather alert upgraded to an orange heavy rain warning yesterday. Up to 100mm of rain was forecast to fall in 18 hours. 

Gusts up to 110km/h were also possible in these regions, as well as in Gisborne and Rotorua. 

North Otago, Dunedin, Clutha, Southland and the West Coast were also placed under heavy rain warnings and watches. Tasman northwest of Motueka, the Richmond and Bryant ranges and Mt Taranaki were under an orange heavy rain warning until 6am today. 

Road snowfall warnings were in place from 9am yesterday for Crown Range Rd, Milford Rd (State Highway 94), Lindis Pass (SH8) and Haast Pass (SH6). 

They were all forecast to lapse by 3am. 

Snow is possible down to 500m in Otago and South Canterbury today when a mass of cold air passes over the South Island. 

MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris said it was “a bad start for the first week of the school holidays”. 

Ferris said the severe weather was brought about by a low-pressure system approaching from the Tasman Sea, which dragged some warm and humid air across New Zealand. 

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.