MetService’s current warnings and watches cover much of the South Island and lower North Island.
Photo: MetService screenshot
Heavy rain and gale orange wind warnings are in place for parts of the country including much of the South Island and lower North Island.
Severe Weather Update:
The Tararua Range and Buller District have been upgraded to an Orange Heavy Rain Warning.
The Wairarapa and the Tararua District have also been upgraded to an Orange Strong Wind Warning.
There is also a Heavy Swell Warning in place from Otaki to… pic.twitter.com/BrNcLMRuhn
— MetService (@MetService) September 16, 2025
Hundreds of Dunedin residents have lost power after vegetation hit a powerline as a severe weather front moves up the South Island.
Aurora Energy said more than 380 people around Mosgiel including parts of Chain Hills, East Taieri, Kinmont Park and Saddle Hill were impacted.
More than 190 properties in parts of Dunedin had lost power which was not expected to be returned until after 4pm on Wednesday.
In the Queenstown Lakes district, six properties in Lower Shotover lost power after a lightning strike on Wednesday morning.
It comes as MetService forecasts severe weather for parts of the South Island and lower North Island.
Heavy rain is forecast for the Tararua Range, the Buller and Westland ranges, Canterbury lakes and south of Lake Sumner, Otago lakes and rivers and Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound with up to 180 millimetres of rain expected in some places.
There are also strong wind warnings in place for Wairarapa and Tararua, Wellington, and Canterbury High Country with severe gale northwesterlies gusting at 120 kilometres an hour in exposed places.
MetService has issued yellow strong wind watches for Marlborough, Christchurch, Canterbury Plains, Queenstown Lakes, Central and North Otago and Dunedin.
Snow may also affect some of the higher South Island roads for a time on Thursday.
Warning for motorists
The New Zealand Transport Agency is warning Wellington region and Kāpiti Coast motorists to be extra careful on Wednesday afternoon and overnight with severe gales and large swells expected.
Strong winds gusting up to 120 kilometres an hour are slated for the capital, and are expected to impact residents from 1pm Wednesday until 6am Thursday.
Truck, vans, campervans and motorcyclists should take care in exposed places such as Remutaka Hill, Wainui Saddle, and Transmission Gully.
Meanwhile, a large swell warning is in place on the Kāpiti Coast for six hours from 3am on Thursday.
It could affect the stretch of State Highway 59 between Pukerua Bay and Paekākariki.
MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris told Nine to Noon a lot of the weather was focused in the South Island.
“Parts of Fiordland and Milford Sound have already seen about 130mm of rain. Twelve hours ago they saw 100mm of rain in six hours.”
Ferris said that rain was moving its way up the West Coast.
“Plenty of strong north-westerly winds ahead of it. Already seen some big gusts around Canterbury High Country – even parts of Canterbury plains as well.”
Ferris said the already blustery wind in Wellington would increase throughout Wednesday.
He said there didn’t look to be any flood risks at present but there had been plenty of thunderstorms around Fiordland.
Ferris said there would be “embedded very heavy rain” within the thunderstorms and anyone driving should “take it easy”.
“If you do hear that thunder it is best to head indoors and wait for until it passes.
“Tomorrow it looks like that front moves over the North Island.”
However, he said the weather wouldn’t be as severe by Thursday.
“It’s a busy weather day but this is a pretty springy system so we shouldn’t be too surprised to be seeing this weather around the country.
Ferris said the country would get a brief respite and then a very similar system for the weekend.
Next week was also looking a bit unsettled, he said but MetService expected the weather to settle by October.
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