![\"Weather](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/weather-warnings-across-the-south-island-source-metservice-3YLCA56R7RHHFK665CXR2CG4AU.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMuch of the South Island is under weather warnings ahead of Labour Day, with heavy rain and severe northwest gales set to batter parts of the country over the long weekend. <\/p>\n
MetService said an active front was expected to sweep across the South Island on Monday and early Tuesday before moving over the North Island later that day.<\/p>\n
“That’s bringing some significantly heavy rain to most of the West Coast of the South Island,” said MetService meteorologist Ethan Walton-Jones.<\/p>\n
The front was expected to move quickly, Walton-Jones said, with the worst conditions easing by Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
Severe northwest gales were forecast to lash eastern and southern parts of the South Island, with gusts reaching up to 130km\/h in exposed areas.<\/p>\n
The strong winds would reach Wellington on Monday night, before the front weakened as it moved over the North Island on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Walton-Jones urged people in affected regions to prepare for potentially hazardous conditions, warning heavy rain could trigger surface flooding, slips and rapidly rising rivers.<\/p>\n
“Always drive cautiously in those areas, and same with the wind as well, especially for high-sided vehicles or motorcycles,” he cautioned.<\/p>\n
‘Take extra care’ – NZTA<\/p>\n
NZTA Waka Kotahi urged motorists travelling over the Labour Day long weekend to take extra care on the roads, with heavy rain and strong winds set to sweep across parts of the country. <\/p>\n
“Heavy rain means slippery roads. Drivers should think about adjusting their speed and travelling distances, avoiding sudden braking, and staying visible (using headlights in daytime hours),” the agency said. <\/p>\n
Motorists were also warned against driving through floodwaters, particularly where the depth was unclear or hidden obstacles could be present.<\/p>\n
“Those operating motorcycles, towing vehicles, and high-sided vehicles like campervans, should take extra care in high winds \u2013 especially in exposed areas \u2013 and consider pulling over if feeling unsafe.” <\/p>\n
NZTA said contractors would be monitoring the state highway network and responding to any slips or obstructions. <\/p>\n
Full list of weather watches and warnings<\/p>\n
Heavy Rain Warning – Orange<\/p>\n
Grey and Buller districts – 8hrs from 10pm Monday to 6am Tuesday<\/p>\n
Westland District – 21hrs from 6am Monday to 3am Tuesday<\/p>\n
The headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers about and south of Arthur’s Pass – 12hrs from 4pm Monday to 4am Tuesday<\/p>\n
The headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers – 9hrs from 2pm to 11pm Monday<\/p>\n
Fiordland – 19hrs from 2am to 9pm Monday<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Weather warnings across the South Island. Source: MetService (Source: Supplied)<\/p>\n
Strong Wind Warning – Orange<\/p>\n
Wellington – 16hrs from 6pm Monday to 10am Tuesday<\/p>\n
Canterbury High Country and the Plains – 25hrs from 4am Monday to 5am Tuesday<\/p>\n
Otago – 11hrs from 11am to 10pm Monday<\/p>\n
Fiordland, Southland and Stewart Island – 12hrs from 8am to 8pm Monday<\/p>\n
Heavy Rain Watch<\/p>\n
Tararua Range – 9hrs from 2am to 11am Tuesday<\/p>\n
The Queenstown Lakes District away from the headwaters, Southland and Stewart Island – 10hrs from 1pm to 11pm Monday<\/p>\n
Strong Wind Watch<\/p>\n
Tararua District – 15hrs from 11pm Monday to 2pm Tuesday<\/p>\n
Marlborough – 14hrs from 5pm Monday to 7am Tuesday<\/p>\n
Wairarapa – 15hrs from 9pm Monday to noon Tuesday<\/p>\n
Christchurch – 8hrs from 8pm Monday to 4am Tuesday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Much of the South Island is under weather warnings ahead of Labour Day, with heavy rain and severe…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":640498,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[158,1080,16256,91,111,43,139,69,15488,2224,3393,1241],"class_list":["post-640497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-christchurch-canterbury","tag-dunedin-otago","tag-marlborough","tag-nelson","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-southland","tag-tasman","tag-weather-news","tag-west-coast"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=640497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/640498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=640497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=640497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=640497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}