Weather: Slips, power outages, road closures, with more rain to come

RNZ News

26-05-2025

Flooding in Nelson on Monday.
Photo:
Supplied / Valeriya Horyayeva
Wild weather has swept through both the North and South Islands, but another wet front is on the way.
In the upper South Island, State Highway 6 through Lower Buller Gorge between Inangahua Junction and Westport remains closed.
Heavy rain caused multiple slips and surface flooding on the highway on Monday and on Sunday.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and delay their journey if possible.
Parts of Dairy Flat in North Auckland were still without power on Tuesday, after strong winds and heavy rain also hit the city overnight.
Vector said it was working to restore power after a power pole was damaged by flying debris and vegetation on Monday evening.
Fire and Emergency crews were also out in Auckland last night, clearing damaged trees and power lines.
But the Fire Service said there had not been any weather-related calls on Tuesday morning.
MetService says it'll be a fine day in Nelson today after Monday's deluge but there's more of that wet weather to come.
Duty forecaster John Law told
Morning Report
the rain was starting to clear but it wouldn't last long.
"Another area of low pressure runs closer towards us on Wednesday, brings with it some heavy rainfall for places like the western coast of the South Island, parts of Nelson, Tasman and Buller," he said.
"You will find that wet weather and windy weather move back towards those western parts of the North Island, so well worth keeping an eye on the forecast - particularly Wednesday and Thursday."
Law said Nelson's flooding on Monday was likely because the area was hit with intense bursts of rainfall.
"Places like Nelson saw as much as 30-40mm of rain in a very short space of time and it's that intensity in that short course of time that caused most of the issues there."
When asked why there wasn't any warning about Monday's weather, he said the forecast was "always a tricky story" and occasionally didn't always go to plan.
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