Eight homes have been evacuated south of Nelson this morning as up to 200mm of rainfall triggered "substantial flooding" and closed roads across the top of the South Island overnight.
Weather warnings, lifted for the South Island, remained in place for the North Island as a trough embedded in a humid northerly air flow brought heavy rain, strong winds and flooding risks to begin the meteorological winter.
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence said eight properties were evacuated in the town of Brightwater overnight due to flooding.
"The current situation is that the weather has started to ease. River levels are still high, and will start to subside with the rain stopping," a statement read.
"Response crews are out in the field assisting emergency services. Further road closures may occur."
MetService meteorologist John Law said parts of the top of the South Island were hit with extreme rainfall overnight, with some of the heaviest falls concentrated in the Tasman ranges.
"In the last 12 hours, some places recorded around 200 millimetres of rain," he told 1News.
Law said Paradise, a high-elevation site in Tasman, recorded about 198mm overnight, bringing totals in the past 48 hours to around 700mm in the wettest areas. Elsewhere, Tākaka recorded 114mm in 12 hours, while Perry Saddle saw about 100mm.
“It was a very wet night,” Law said, adding the worst of the rain is now easing, although showers remain.
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Sections of several state highways and local roads were closed due to flooding and storm damage.
State Highway 6 between Pelorus Bridge and Canvastown and State Highway 60 from Tākaka to Collingwood were closed due to flooding. Part of SH60 between Park Avenue and Central Tākaka Road is also shut due to fallen trees and downed powerlines, with a detour via Dodson Rd, while flooding is affecting Cook’s Corner near Riwaka.
Local roads impacted include Waimea West Rd, Telenius Rd and Paton Rd.
Surface flooding has also been reported on SH6 near Wakefield and Stoke, and on SH63 at Birch Hill near the Wye River Bridge. Brightwater Bridge has now reopened.
Police urged extra caution on the roads this morning, with "substantial flooding on State Highway 6 in Brightwater and Wakefield.
"Please drive to the conditions, and don't attempt to drive through floodwaters - you risk becoming stuck, or striking something that can't be seen from above the water."
Mayor Tim King says river levels remain a concern and is urging residents to avoid floodwaters and take extra care on the roads. (Source: Breakfast)
Tasman District Mayor Tim King said the worst-affected areas included Brightwater, Wakefield and other low-lying communities, where surface flooding and rapidly rising streams have created hazardous conditions.
"The situation here is very heavy rain overnight, particularly around Brightwater, Wakefield and lower-lying areas," he told Breakfast.
"We're seeing surface flooding, and small streams and catchments coming up very fast."
While some river systems elsewhere in the district have peaked and are beginning to recede, King said the Waimea River system was still rising and remained a concern.
"Most of those rivers are now either peaked and receding, such as those in Golden Bay and Motueka, but the major river system in the Waimea is still heading upwards," he said.
"Small amounts of rain that fall between now and midday will have big impacts quite quickly, particularly in smaller catchments."
King also warned motorists to take extra care, citing the decade-high King's Birthday road toll and the dangers posed by flooded roads.
"Be really careful on the roads. We're seeing surface flooding, and there's been a terrible weekend already for road incidents. We certainly don't want any more of those."
Full list of weather warnings and watches
Heavy Rain Warning - Orange
Bay of Plenty and Rotorua about and west of Whakatane - 19 hours from 8pm Monday to 3pm Tuesday
Bay of Plenty east of Whakatane, also the ranges of Gisborne/Tairawhiti north of Tokomaru Bay - 22 hours from 8pm Monday to 6pm Tuesday
Tongariro National Park - 17 hours from 8pm Monday to 1pm Tuesday
Taranaki Maunga - 12 hours from 8pm Monday to 8am Tuesday
Heavy Rain Watch
Auckland and Great Barrier Island - 8 hours from 1am to 9am Tuesday
Coromandel Peninsula - 11 hours from 1am to 12pm Tuesday
Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui and Taihape north of Raetihi and west of Tongariro National Park - 10 hours from 12am to 10am Tuesday
Taranaki north of Eltham away from the mountain, and northern Whanganui hill country - 17 hours from 8pm Monday to 8am Tuesday
Taupō - 17 hours from 8pm Monday to 1pm Tuesday
Strong Wind Watch
Auckland and Great Barrier Island - 12 hours from 8pm to 8am Tuesday
Taihape and Tongariro National Park -13 hours from 8pm Monday to 8am Tuesday
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