NZ Transport Agency road crews have been working hard since first light to keep the state highways open and safe after a night of severe winds and heavy rain on the West Coast of the South Island. Crews are continuing to patrol state highways through the day
Check the Transport Agency’s web map(external link) for weather warnings and road closures or delays. The Transport Agency’s Journey Manager Lee Wright asks drivers to take extreme care.
Weather forecasters are hopeful that the front should begin to weaken as it heads north over Buller this afternoon.
With heavy rain and wind overnight on the West Coast, particularly South Westland, State Highway 6 has some surface flooding with debris on the road in places like Harihari and Whataroa and south of Fox Glacier. A slip at Fox Hills was caught by the Transport Agency’s debris fence. Road crews are clearing fallen trees between Haast and Haast Pass.
Road crews have cleared rocks and small slips on SH73 through the Otira Gorge but the road is open. There are strong winds at Arthur’s Pass so drivers of high-sided vehicles or motorcyclists need to take care.
There is a strong wind warning for anyone driving to the West Coast today via Waipara on the Lewis Pass route, SH7, particularly high-sided vehicle drivers and motorcyclists.
This highway was closed earlier today due to extreme winds and treefalls. Check the traffic and travel map(external link) for updates. Black spots on the map are roads closed.
At Waimatuku, Southland, power lines were down due to the severe winds and SH99 at Swan Road was detoured for a short time. It is now open.
