Alert opened: 14 Dec 2025
MetService Severe Weather Warning
Issued at 9:39am Sun 14 Dec 2025
Heavy rain and severe northwest gales for parts of the South Island on Monday
An active front, preceded by strong moist northerlies, moves across the South Island on Monday, followed by showery westerlies.
Watches and Warnings are now in force for heavy rain and severe gusts.
Please keep up to date with the latest forecasts.
Heavy Rain Warning - Orange
Area: The headwaters of Canterbury lakes and rivers about and south of Arthurs Pass
Period: 12 hours from 3:00pm Mon 15 Dec to 3:00am Tue 16 Dec
Forecast: Expect 140 to 180 mm of rain about the main divide, and 80 to 120 mm within 20 km farther east. Peak rates of 20 to 30 mm/h about the divide. Freezing level about 3000 m.
Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Impact: Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.
Action: Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.
Area: The headwaters of Otago lakes and rivers
Period: 9 hours from 10:00am Mon 15 Dec to 7:00pm Mon 15 Dec
Forecast: Expect 120 to 160 mm of rain about the main divide, and 70 to 100 mm within 20 km farther east. Peak rates of 20 to 30 mm/h expected about the divide. Freezing level about 3000 m.
Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Impact: Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.
Action: Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.
Strong Wind Watch
Area: The Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago and inland areas of Southland, Clutha and Dunedin
Period: 10 hours from 6:00am Mon 15 Dec to 4:00pm Mon 15 Dec
Forecast: North to northwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.
Note, winds easing from the south during Monday afternoon.
Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.
Affected districts
This vibrant district is home to nearly 23,200 residents and reaches inland from the Waitaki River mouth up the Waitaki Valley through Ohau to the top of the Ahuriri River Valley and extends south along the east coast beyond Palmerston to Flag Swamp.
The Waitaki District can experience storms, flooding, earthquakes, infrastructure failure, space weather and has low lying areas that are at risk to tsunami.
For more information about hazards in the Waitaki district, visit Otago Regional Council's natural hazards portal
Being prepared to look after yourself during an emergency will help you, your family and community through times of disruption.
If life or property is at immediate risk, always call 111.
If you need assistance during an emergency, your first point of contact should be family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues, or those immediately around you wherever you are.
During an emergency, information will be available through several channels from Emergency Management Otago and Waitaki District Council.
When an emergency affects the district, the Waitaki District Council will provide information to the community and visitors through a variety of channels, including their website and Facebook
The Council will also use traditional media channels like radio and local newspapers to share information if available.
Radio Stations
More FM - 100 FM
RNZ National - 101.4 FM & 810 AM
Newstalk ZB - 1395 AM
Oamaru Heritage Radio - 88.3 & 107 FM
Real - 104FM
The Hits - 98.4 FM
Oamaru FM - 91.2FM
The Breeze- 97.6 FM
Puketapu Radio - 756 AM
Leave home only if you are in immediate danger or if you are officially advised to.
Stay inside (unless you are advised to evacuate) if there is a chemical or gas disaster or a storm. Listen to the radio, look at online media channels or TV for information. If the power is off, you can use a radio app on your phone, a solar or battery powered radio or your car radio.
If you need to evacuate, secure your home as though you were going on holiday and turn off power, water, and gas. Ensure each adult in your household knows how to turn these off.
Evacuate if there is:
No one knows a community better than those who live in it!
Community Resilience Groups are a team people in your area who are trained to open and run a Community Emergency hub. They work with Emergency Management Otago to develop community response plans by the community, for the community. They are a great way for the community to come together, discuss and outline how they plan to respond and keep each other safe during an emergency event.
To ensure that Community Resilience Groups have the capability to activate, training can be provided by Emergency Management Otago to cover:
Contact your local Emergency Management Advisor for further information on creating a community resilience group for your area or to join an existing one.
Emergency Management Otago works with communities across Waitaki to develop capability and resilience within each community so that they can prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Together we have created a series of community resilience guides. These are living documents and are a short, ready-reference guide with information about local hazards and practical tips for preparedness.
Duntroon Community Resilience Guide
Hampden Community Resilience Guide
Kakanui Community Resilience Guide
Kurow Community Resilience Guide
Moeraki Community Resilience Guide
Oamaru Community Resilience Guide
Ohau Community Resilience Guide
Omarama Community Resilience Guide
Otematata Community Resilience Guide
Waihemo Community Resilience Guide
Waitaki Bridge & Kaik Fishing Village Community Resilience Guide
