Heavy rain, strong wind watches continue into Tuesday

Secure the trampoline, there is another strong wind watch in place for Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell after 24 hours of already wild weather.

MetService is forecasting winds to ramp up again from 6pm tonight (Monday), and continuing until 5am Tuesday.

Across inland Otago, Fiordland, and Southland, "Northwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places", MetService says on its warnings and watches page. 

There is a moderate chance the watch will be upgraded to a warning.

Further north, in the Canterbury High Country, MetService predicts winds will be even stronger, with an orange warning in place ahead of severe northwest gales expected to reach 120 kilometres per hour in exposed places.

Meanwhile, there is also more rain in the forecast.

MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for the Otago headwaters for 12 hours starting at 8pm tonight (Monday).

People should expect periods of heavy rain, approaching warning criteria within 15 kilometres east of the main divide.

There is a moderate chance the watch will be upgraded to a warning, and further updates are expected at 9pm tonight (Monday).

It comes as MetService issues its latest long-range rural forecast looking ahead for the start of spring.

And there is a one-word descriptor with it: 'Volatile'.

It suggests the active westerly flow that's bringing these frequent bursts of rain to western regions will tip towards a cooler southwesterly later in the week, with temperatures falling slightly below normal across the South Island by the weekend - bringing with it the risk of widespread frosts and snowfalls, particularly for inland Canterbury and Otago.

Towards the end of the month, however, longer spells of fine weather will become more likely.

Weather conditions have impacted events scheduled in the Winter Games, currently underway at southern ski fields, with today's Snowboard slopestyle finals at Cardrona Alpine Resort cancelled.

As a result, winners will be taken from qualification results.

Main image (MetService)