Damaging winds are expected to hit eastern areas of the country between Southland and Wairarapa.
Between Monday evening and Tuesday evening, northwest winds in inland Southland and Stewart Island will reach speeds of 70 kilometres an hour, with gusts of up to 150km/h.
As the front moves north over the country on Tuesday, northwesterlies will sweep over Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa, with gusts reaching 120km/h.
The winds will bring up to 200 millimetres of rain to Fiordland and the Southern Alps south of Otira, and MetService is warning people to beware of rapidly rising rivers and streams.
