While we've had some nice weather today, MetService has issued an Orange Heavy Rain Warning for Riwaka through to Golden Bay from 6am tomorrow morning. They have also issued a Yellow Heavy Rain Watch for the ranges behind Nelson and Richmond from 9am tomorrow.

The heavier rain starts in the west of our region early morning and follows shortly after in the ranges behind Nelson and Richmond, running through to the early hours of Friday.

This warning is at the lower end of the scale. The wind direction starts as Northerly and becomes North West. No thunderstorm activity is forecast. Tides are relatively low and no storm surge is expected.

For the Aorere, Tākaka, Riwaka/Brooklyn catchments, expect moderate flood flows, below that of an annual flood. The rainfall totals and intensities are moderate and not likely to trigger widespread landslips.

In summary, we hold no concerns based on the rainfall forecast, but if flooding consequences are severe for you, as always, take a prudent approach and plan for higher floods than suggested. All forecasts involving rain and floods require an extra margin for safety.

Keep up to date with the latest MetService warnings here(external link).

If you're going to be on the roads during this time, it's a good idea to check the road conditions before travelling. Any relevant roading information can be found on this page.