Heavy rain and strong winds are lashing most of the South Island, with at least one road closed because of the avalanche risk.
Overnight, 113 millilitres of rain fell at Milford Sound Airport. MetService has issued an orange warning for heavy rain and severe gales for most of the South Island as an active Northwesterly front moves its way up the South Island.
Heavy rain is falling on the West Coast, and in the Canterbury High Country.
Environment Canterbury is warning that could "test the still vulnerable flood protection works in the upper reaches" of the Ashburton River which burst its banks last year.
A Civil Defence emergency operations centre was set up by the Ashburton District Council yesterday as a precaution.
Waka Kotahi's Tresca Forrester spoke to Corin Dann.
