It’s the North Island’s turn to be lashed with heavy rain this weekend after the front which battered the South Island this week moves up the country. 

MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor says the heaviest rain is expected in the second half of today and tomorrow morning, likely disrupting travel on what was expected to be a busy weekend on the road with the beginning of school holidays. 

“Significant and widespread impacts are possible,” she said. 

The first of heavy rain for the North Island was expected to get under way around 4am today in Wellington, Kapiti Coast, and Wairarapa south of Featherston, before moving further north. 

A raft of heavy rain watches are expected to come into effect for the Tararua Ranges, Taranaki, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taihape, Whanganui, and Taupo on Saturday and remain throughout the weekend. 

The Far North will welcome some heavy rain from around 9pm today, night, with additional watches and warnings possible over the coming days. Rain is expected to douse Auckland throughout the day, with heavy falls forecast close to midnight. 

Weatherwatch.co.nz said the rain is trapped between two very powerful high-pressure zones and one of those highs is also feeding in tropical air this weekend to the rain. 

Eastern Bay of Plenty and Tairāwhiti looked to be the most exposed to rain heavy enough to cause slips and localised flooding, the forecaster said. 

Its modelling showed more than 200mm of rain was expected to fall in the eastern region between now and Tuesday. 

By Sunday night, the front moves to the northeast of the North Island and becomes slow-moving. 

Slash debris thrusts Queenstown into state of emergency 

After recording its wettest 24-hour period in 24 years, Queenstown Mayor Glyn Lewers declared a state of emergency for n the region at 6.33am on Friday. 

It followed a state of emergency being declared across Southland on Thursday night as the region was battered by severe weather. 

In Queenstown, 87mm fell from 9am Thursday to 9am Friday, Niwa said. 

Heavy rain caused slips in the tourism town of Queenstown. Photo / George Heard 

Landslides and high floodwaters threatened some Queenstown homes and some residents had to be rescued from their cars overnight on Thursday. 

Up to 20 homes were evacuated and more than 100 people sought refuge overnight at the evacuation centre, the council said. 

Lewers said forestry slash was responsible for the damage that had led to the state of emergency being declared. 

Queenstown councillor Matt Wong spoke of the “mess” on Queenstown’s Brecon St, where footage captured slash debris washing through and blocking roads.ash debris  

“It looks like it happened about midnight. There was significant flooding that really brought the debris in through the township,” he told The Hits Southern Lakes Breakfast. 

A nearby cemetery appeared to have taken a good brunt of the slip, Wong said. Logs and slash were scattered throughout the site. 

“I’ve never seen it like this in all my life. There’s going to be some difficult questions asked.” 

Emergency services were kept busy in Queenstown, helping residents deal with flooding and landslides. Photo / James Allan 

The damage forced schools around central businesses to shut their doors yesterday, on the eve of school holidays. 

The centrally located medical centre was also out of action. 

Flooding and debris flowed down Brecon St towards the town centre, causing damage and requiring evacuations from multiple properties on Reavers Lane, Fryer St and Hamilton Rd. Multiple roads were closed throughout the Queenstown town centre and around the district. 

Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) staff were called to a home in Fernhill after reports a landslide was threatening a house at 7.51pm on Thursday. Upon arrival, it was found the residents had already evacuated and there was extensive flooding around the home. 

Nearby, Fenz crews were called to a landslide behind a property in Reavers Lane, Queenstown, at 7.33pm. The occupants of four homes evacuated on advice from the crews. 

Another crew was sent to Glenorchy-Queenstown Rd at 7.13pm after a landslide trapped a car. One person was rescued uninjured. 

The council said 68 people had been evacuated from the Brecon St area and 41 evacuated from the Reavers Lane area because of flooding and debris pouring down the central city roads.