With bad weather set to hit the upper South Island and lower North Island, drivers in the regions need to be prepared.
Update - 20 April
The Metservice has issued fresh weather warnings for the upper South Island and lower North Island. People planning an extended Anzac holiday, or returning from school holidays, need to be ready for hazardous driving conditions.
A heavy rain watch is in force for Wellington, Kapiti Coast, Wairarapa south of Greytown, and the Tararua Ranges. It runs from six pm Friday to midday Saturday.
Meanwhile, a heavy rain watch applies in the South Island from midday Friday to midday Saturday for the Richmond and Bryant Ranges, including the Rai Valley and the Marlborough Sounds. A heavy rain warning has been issued for Tasman, west of Motueka, from 10 am Friday to two am Saturday.
This bad weather will coincide with holiday traffic. Motorists should take extra care on the roads and be prepared for delays.
The MetService has heavy rain warnings for Tasman, west of Motueka, the Richmond Ranges, Rai Valley, and the northern parts of the Marlborough Sounds. These warnings are for this evening through to Wednesday morning.
For the North Island, heavy rain watches have been issued for Wednesday. The affected regions are Wellington, southern Wairarapa, and the Tararua ranges.
It means there is an increased risk of localised flooding, slips, rock and treefalls across the state highway networks in these regions.
Road users should drive to the conditions, use their headlights if visibility is poor, watch their speed and following distances, and be prepared for hazards.
Drivers should also check road conditions and weather alerts before they travel, and allow extra time for their journeys. This is especially important for school holiday travellers needing to make ferry connections across the Cook Strait.
