UPDATED 10.45am: The weather system which has drenched the West Coast will engulf Wellington and Auckland before the day's out.

MetService forecaster Michelle Fleming says there's still heavy rain on the West Coast, and thunderstorms coming.

"We've had 11 millimetres at Hokitika in the last hour, so there's more to come and there's a severe weather warning enforced and a severe weather watch.

"So people should keep up to date with those. They'll be updated this morning."

South Islanders awake to water-logged areas

People in parts of the South Island are waking up to a wet landscape, after severe storms battered Nelson and the West Coast.

Strong winds and heavy rain yesterday forced the closure of Atawhai Drive in Nelson.

And massive downpours caused serious flooding and slips in Westport, closing five schools.

Locals have been told to batten down for more rain overnight, and this morning.

Just how bad those downpours have been, won't be fully known until first light.

The weather system which has drenched the West Coast will engulf Wellington and Auckland before the day's out.
MetService forecaster Michelle Fleming says there's still heavy rain on the West Coast, and thunderstorms coming.
"We've had 11 millimetres at Hokitika in the last hour, so there's more to come and there's a severe weather warning enforced and a severe weather watch.
"So people should keep up to date with those. They'll be updated this morning."