After days of heavy rain for the West Coast of the South Island, the bad weather is heading north with central to lower North Island under either a heavy rain warning or watch.
Civil Defence says the effects of heavy rainfall on the West Coast have "not been as severe as feared" and evacuated residents have been told they can return home after an uncertain night, which saw a king tide coincide with 48 hours of heavy rain.
West Coast Civil Defence has issued a "time to return home" message on Saturday. Group controller James Thompson said the weather has run its course and it's time to assess the damage and get people back in their homes.
"We would like to thank everyone who self-evacuated during this event, and those that followed the evacuation order of authorities," Thompson says.
"We know that this has been a really stressful time for Westport residents and are pleased that the flooding of July 2021 was not repeated and people can now head home."
The bad weather and heavy rain is shifting north, with MetService issuing a heavy rain warning for Taranaki, the Tararua Range, Kapiti-Horowhenua, Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds from 9am on Saturday through to 11pm Saturday.
"Periods of heavy rain. Expect 70 to 90mm of rain to accumulate on top of what has already fallen with peak rates of 10 to 20mm/h," MetService said.
"Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous."
A heavy rain watch is also in place for Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taihape, Whanganui, Manawatu and the Tararua District from 12pm Saturday through to 11am on Sunday.
"Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall accumulations may approach warning criteria. Please note, that the onset of the rain is expected from late afternoon for Waitomo, Taumarunui and northern Taihape," MetService said.
MetService is warning the entire of North Island will experience rain over the weekend.
"Now it's the North Island's turn for rain," MetService says. "All of the North Island expected to see some rain over the weekend. Occasional rain in the northern South Island gradually clears."
WeatherWatch says the rain will hang around central New Zealand before moving northwards towards the end of the weekend.
"Heavy rain that has affected the West Coast this past week moves over central New Zealand this weekend, it's a bit hard to place the exact positioning of a front lying over the area so there is potential for the upper South Island (Nelson / Marlborough) to be affected and/or the lower North Island today [Saturday]," WeatherWatch says.
"It is a bit clearer that by Sunday morning decent rain does start moving off the upper South Island, onto the lower North Island then moves up the east coast."
After days of bad weather and heavy rain, WeatherWatch is predicting next week to bring more settled conditions.
"After the rough and tumble of the past weeks and this weekend's weather, next week is looking calmer with high pressure mostly in control," WeatherWatch says.
"Further out to next weekend, a low may descend from the north bringing rain."
