Severe weather hit parts of the South Island overnight, with heavy rain and strong winds causing concern for residents. Orange heavy rain warnings have been issued for Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound and the ranges of the Westland District.
According to a tweet from MetService, over 100mm of rain has already fallen in the far south, with more expected throughout the day. Strong to gale force winds have also been reported in some areas.
In Fiordland alone, 100mm of rain fell overnight, and meteorologists are predicting up to 220mm before the weather warning expires at 9pm today. A heavy rain warning is also set to come into effect for the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers this afternoon.
MetService meteorologist David Miller noted that strong winds have been a concern as well, with gusts reaching up to 110km/h in parts of Otago. Strong wind watches are in place for various parts of the South Island, including the Canterbury high country and Fiordland.
