West Coast heavy rain warning: Up to 400mm forecast in Westland ranges

Detailed summary

West Coasters are being warned to brace for up to 400mm of rain in some areas as multiple fronts are set to batter the South Island. MetService has issued orange heavy rain…

The West Coast is once again bracing for heavy rain in the coming days. Photo / George Heard

West Coasters are being warned to brace for up to 400mm of rain in some areas as multiple fronts are set to batter the South Island.

MetService has issued orange heavy rain warnings for the coast, as a wet weather system moves slowly northwards over the western South Island during Sunday and Monday.

MetService meteorologist Paris Marshall told the Herald the rain will start setting in on Sunday afternoon, first hitting the ranges before moving into the Westland district by the evening.

The Buller and Grey districts also have orange warnings in place from Sunday night.

“We are expecting some quite heavy rain, which is enough that we’re concerned about flash flooding from in the rivers or from lakes, which could be quite impactful to anyone living near there,” Marshall said.

“We’re hoping people will see it and can prepare by cleaning their gutters and making sure that they’re not in a vulnerable position when it does hit,” she said.

“People will start seeing the rain tomorrow afternoon, some places will start seeing it in the morning, but the really heavy stuff is in the afternoon.”

Westland District is forecast to receive between 300 and 400mm of rain through the ranges over 27 hours from 10am Sunday to 1pm Monday, and about 100 to 150mm nearer the coast.

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