The settled start to the week is not expected to last, with a front bringing wild weather to much of the South Island and the lower North Island.
While Monday has been a fine day for most of the country, the weather is expected to take a turn for the worse for most of the South Island with heavy rain and strong winds forecasted for Tuesday.
MetService has issued 12 weather warnings and watches for the South Island and one for the Wellington region as we head into the last month of Winter.
"One weather event ends, another one begins," MetService tweeted. "This time, the west of the SI is in the firing line for heavy rain."
South Island
An active front is expected to move eastwards across the South Island on Tuesday bringing heavy rain to the West of the South Island and to the Otago and Canterbury headwaters.
Met Service has issued a heavy rain warning for Tuesday for the ranges of Westland north and south of Harihari, the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur's Pass, the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers.
Rain is forecasted to accumulate to a high of up to 170mm in the ranges of Westland.
A heavy rain watch has also been issued for the Tasman about and west of Motueka, Nelson Lakes and the ranges of Buller, Wairarapa about and south of Masterton on Tuesday until Wednesday morning.
The front is also expected to bring severe gale northwesterlies to the south and east of the South Island.
A strong wind warning has been issued for the Canterbury High Country on Tuesday between 1am and 7pm.
Strong wind watches have been issued on Tuesday for Marlborough including the Sounds, Canterbury Plains including Christchurch and Banks Peninsula, Otago, Fiordland, Southland, Stewart Island and Clutha.
Strong winds risk damage to trees, powerlines and unsecured structures. MetService warns the winds could make driving hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
North Island
Severe gale northwesterlies from the front are expected to affect the lower North Island as well.
A strong wind watch has been issued for Wairarapa about and south of Masterton and Wellington from 10am Tuesday until 10 Wednesday.
The active front is expected to move across the North Island on Wednesday, with rain forecasted for parts of the north on Wednesday including Auckland and Wellington.
