Weather: 'Another significant' wave of storms on way for Tasman, Nelson in flood aftermath
A flooded Riwaka property.
Photo:
Samantha Gee / RNZ
MetService are
warning the storm-battered Tasman and Nelson regions
to prepare for more thunderstorms, wind and rain later this week.
It comes as the area's
deal with the aftermath
of after heavy rain on Friday and Saturday.
MetService's head of weather news Heather Keats told
Morning Report
the unfortunate weather was what they had expected.
"We have been looking at stats, and Nelson and Blenheim had their wettest June days on the 26, and Blenheim, it was their third wettest day on record and unfortunately there is more to come.
"Another front that will bring rain and a string of north-easterly to many."
Keats said the next wild weather was set to hit on Wednesday night, with a second wave on Friday.
"It is likely to to be another significant event and it will lead to watches and warnings," she said.
Thunderstorms were forecast to bring heavy rain to Nelson, Blenheim, Buller and Marlborough.
"Unfortunately it is going to be a similar event [to last weekend]."
The front was too far out to comment on the specific timings and amount of rainfall, she said.
Flooding on a farm at Wai-Iti near Wakefield on 27 June 2025.
Photo:
Supplied
Nelson and Tasman have been crying out for better warning systems so they can better prepare for these serious weather events.
Civil Defence Minister Mark Mitchell told
Morning Report
he was committed to "finding a way through with the rain radar", but did not confirm whether the regions would get one.
After recently
surveying the damage by helicopter
, Mitchell said there was "lots of surface flooding and significant damage to rural properties in the Tasman region".
Civil Defence Minister Mark Mitchell.
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
When asked about whether he would answer the calls for a new rain radar, he said he was working towards getting one in place.
"That's obviously been raised with me and I was like look lets work together, i'm very open to finding a way through and providing support from central government to get a rain radar in place."
But Mitchell said the problem was the region had many valleys that were very close together and caused problems in predicting the weather.
"I'm very committed to finding a way through with the rain radar," Mitchell added.
He also said there was a "significant" amount of mitigation projects around the country supported at a central government level.
Federated Farmers president Kerry Irvine told
Morning Report
the scale of damage to rural properties in the region was "horrendous".
"The damage to infrastructure, fences, banks is just horrendous, you've got to see it to believe it."
The Motueka estuary, with Jackett Island in the foreground, after flooding in the Tasman region in June 2025.
Photo:
Samantha Gee / RNZ
He said there was silt, debris, logs and gravel scattered throughout paddocks, but said he didn't believe it would be the end any farms.
"It's not in our nature as New Zealand farmers to give up, it's just not in our DNA.
"We are down, don't get me wrong, we are down, but we will get up again and we will repair our farms and put them back together.
"It will be a long road and a challenging time ahead," he said.
A
mayoral relief fund
has set up to support Nelson City and Tasman District residents, ratepayers or business owners and not-for-profit organisations who have suffered financial hardship because of the flood event.
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