Heavy rain warning for the Tararuas

Metservice has issued a Severe Weather Warning for the Tararua Ranges - so take some serious care if you were planning on going tramping!

A front lying over Nelson this morning is supporting a narrow band of heavy rain
with thunderstorms, and is preceded by a strong northwesterly flow. This feature
is expected to cross Cook Strait this afternoon and lie to the north of the Tararua Range this evening. Rain is already falling in the Tararuas, and this is expected to become heavy and possibly thundery for a time this afternoon with 80 to 100mm possible in places.

Members of the public in and around rivers and streams are warned that levels could rise rapidly.

And meanwhile, down in Queenstown, shorefront shop owners are holding their breath, waiting to see just how far Lake Wakitipu is going to rise. Many have already evacuated their shops (which are apparently effectively uninsurable against floods, after 1999) and have sandbagged the doors.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3641553/Queenstown-braces-for-flooding-as-lake-rises