Severe weather could be back for parts of the country as we move towards Labour Day, with gales, heavy rain watches, road snowfall warnings and heavy swells anticipated in different parts of the country.

Heavy wind watches have been placed on southern parts of the North Island, with some having a high chance of being upgraded to warnings.

Wairarapa and the Tararua District’s strong wind watch starts at 1pm today and ends at 6am Monday. MetService said it has a moderate chance of becoming a warning.

A wind watch for Wellington is in place from noon on Monday to 1am Tuesday and northwest winds are likely to reach severe gale in exposed places.

A heavy rain watch is in place for much of the northern and central parts of the South Island on Monday, with the ranges of Westland, Grey, Buller, Nelson and northwest Marlborough and also Tasman west of Motueka predicted to experience heavy rain from 7am to 10pm.

The headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers are also under a heavy rain watch starting at 7am Monday and expected to finish at 7pm.

Heavy wind and rain watches are in place across New Zealand for the long weekend. Photo / MetService

MetService has advised all these areas under heavy rain watches have high chances of being upgraded to warnings.

Staying in the South Island, Canterbury High Country north of about Mt Cook and Marlborough south of Cape Campbell have strong wind watches in place from 6pm on Sunday to 6am on Monday.

These warnings follow a brief reprieve after days of severe weather caused chaos across the country and left thousands without power, with a state of local emergency being implemented in Canterbury, Southland and Clutha.

Kaikōura was also in a state of local emergency amid fears fires that destroyed five homes north of the township on Wednesday could reignite and houses in Greymouth ran out of water because the wild weather damaged the electrical system at the town’s treatment plant.

Emergency Management Southland said it is working with farmers and others in the rural sector to identify locations in need of generators for milking sheds and stock water.

It encourages anyone who requires help to call 0800 890 127 or email [email protected] with location details and what assistance is needed.

Elsewhere, MetService has put out a road snowfall warning for Milford Sound, with up to 5cm of snow possibly falling above 800m until midday.

Looking ahead, the Kāpiti-Porirua Coast has a heavy swell warning in place from 7pm Monday to 5am Tuesday with waves potentially reaching 5.5m.