A severe weather warning is in place for the South Island and the lower North Island, ahead of forecast heavy rain and gales on Thursday and Friday.
The front is expected to move onto the lower South Island on Thursday night, and will affect the lower North Island Friday.
The warnings apply to Westland and Fiordland where rainfall of up 300 millimetres is possible.
Met Service warns this will affect the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury lakes and rivers, swelling streams and rivers and causing possible surface flooding and slips.
It warns winds could reach up to 140km/h in exposed parts of the Canterbury high country the Marlborough Sounds and Wellington.
It says this has the potential to bring down trees and power lines, damage insecure buildings, and make driving hazardous.
