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'No room for complacency': More rain, wind and chilly days forecast

Author
Katie Oliver,
Publish Date
Sun, 27 Oct 2024, 9:43am

'No room for complacency': More rain, wind and chilly days forecast

Author
Katie Oliver,
Publish Date
Sun, 27 Oct 2024, 9:43am

More rain, wind, and cool temperatures are forecast for much of New Zealand over the remainder of Labour weekend.

And police are reminding motorists 鈥渢here is no room for complacency鈥 as routes used by holidaymakers are set to be busy over the next two days.

MetService meteorologist Luis Fernandes said while the most severe weather was expected to ease overnight, there is still plenty of rain on the way.

鈥淲hile we are seeing things improving 鈥 we鈥檙e still expecting showers for many parts of New Zealand, especially in the west of both the North and South Island. And for some areas in the east,鈥 he said.

Fernandes said much of New Zealand will continue to see showers throughout Sunday and Monday, with temperatures remaining cool throughout the country.

He said Hawke鈥檚 Bay and Gisborne are set to see the best weather, with fairly clear skies and temperatures between 20-22C on Monday.

鈥淭here will likely be showers pretty much everywhere elsewhere,鈥 he said.

The coldest areas on Monday are Otago and Southland, where temperatures are expected to sit between 12-14C on Sunday and Monday.

Fernandes said while it isn鈥檛 the best weekend weather, the worst of it was seen Friday and Saturday.

The long weekend kicked off with multiple road closures caused by snow in the central South Island and severe rain on the west and east coasts.

Flooding in Greymouth in the West Coast area on Saturday. Photo / Tess Row
Flooding in Greymouth in the West Coast area on Saturday. Photo / Tess Row

Severe flooding hit the West Coast on Saturday. Pictures uploaded to social media showed cars attempting to drive through flooded roads in Inangahua.

Buller and Grey districts also prepared emergency centres in anticipation of the severe weather.

Holidaymakers in Queenstown and W膩naka also took to social media to share shots of the unseasonal snow dump.

Meanwhile, NZ Police and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) have urged motorists to remain vigilant this Labour weekend 鈥 after six people died on the roads during the holiday last year.

NZTA director of land transport Brent Alderton said with more traffic comes the need to take extra care.

Flooding in Greymouth in the West Coast region on Saturday, October 26. Photo / Tess Row
Flooding in Greymouth in the West Coast region on Saturday, October 26. Photo / Tess Row

鈥淗oliday traffic means there will be congestion on highways in and out of the main urban centres on Friday and Monday. We鈥檙e asking everyone to make safe choices to protect themselves and others.

鈥淧lease be patient and drive at a safe speed.鈥

The director of road policing, Superintendent Steve Greally, reiterated there was 鈥渘o room for complacency鈥 and said police were 鈥渄etermined not to see a repeat鈥 of last Labour weekend鈥檚 six deaths.

Greally said staff would be working 鈥渢irelessly throughout the country鈥 to make sure everyone stays safe.

鈥淭hose who blatantly choose to drive dangerously, whether it鈥檚 driving without a seatbelt or impaired by drugs and alcohol, using a mobile phone or speeding, they can expect to be ticketed.鈥

Forecasters said the country should be preparing for a wet Labour weekend and heavy traffic congestion over the coming days.

鈥淪treams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions [are] possible.鈥

Fernandes said the system is forecast to move off the country by Monday, but showers may linger in western parts of both islands.

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