MetService weather warnings and watches on Monday morning. Photo: MetService
Severe rain, wind and snowfall are set to sweep in across parts of the country on Monday.
Orannge heavy rain warnings are in place for Taranaki Maunga, the ranges of the Westland District and Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur's Pass.
Taranaki's warning is in place until 7pm with up to 100 millimetres of rain possible, with peak intensities of 15 to 20mm/h in the afternoon and evening.
Westland District's warning is in place until 3pm with up to 80mm more rain falling.
Canterbury lakes' warning is in place until 1pm where streams and rivers could rise rapidly.
Orange strong wind warnings are in place for South Taranaki, Taihape and inland Whanganui from noon until 6pm, with severe gales up to 120 kilometres per hour possible in exposed places.
Wellington also has an orange strong wind warning until 6pm, also with possible 120km/h gales.
A heavy rain watch is in place for the Buller District, and Tasman west of Motueka, the Tararua Range and the eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty and the inland ranges of Gisborne.
Buller's warning is in place until 3pm, Tararua's from noon until 7pm and Bay of Plenty's from 7pm until 3am on Tuesday.
A heavy snow watch is in place for Central Otago, northwest of Alexandra, including the Queenstown Lakes, also the MacKenzie Basin until 3pm where a period of heavy snow above 800 metres could occur.
There are also strong wind watches from inland and northern parts of Marlborough until 5pm, Wairarapa, south of Carterton, from 1pm until 7pm, and Canterbury High Country until 1pm.
Metservice meteorologist John Law on Monday told Morning Report Milford Sound had over 102mm of rain in the past 24 hours and Franz Josef had 55mm.
He said for most of the country, high winds would be noticeable and generally it would be cooler through to the middle of the week, too.
"Even in Auckland we will find those winds kicking up today," Law said.
He described the weather as a "wild start to July".
Law said that Hawke's Bay and Gisborne would "get a better story this week" in terms of rainfall.
