Drivers be ready - Wet weather coming for top of the South roads
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi | 3 Jun 2025 10:50am | Wellington, Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough
With formal heavy rain watches issued, drivers are urged to be ready for bad weather driving in the top of the South Island.
The Metservice has issued Heavy Rain Watches for the Tasman Ranges west of Motueka, Marlborough, the Richmond Range, and Nelson east of Nelson City.
The orange alerts are in force for tomorrow (Wednesday 4 June), with up to 150 millimetres of rain forecast for some areas.
The bad weather will affect State Highway 60 in Tākaka and Golden Bay, State Highway 6 between Nelson and Blenheim, and State Highway 63 in the Wairau Valley.
Metservice weather alerts.
Road users must drive to the conditions and be ready for weather-related hazards.
Reduce your speed, watch your following distances, avoid sudden braking, and use headlights if visibility is poor.
Wet weather also increases the risks of slips, rockfalls, and localised flooding. Drivers can expect to encounter these hazards if conditions deteriorate.
With bad weather also forecast for the West Coast (Heavy Rain Watch), Canterbury (Heavy Snow Watch), and the lower North Island (Strong Wind Watch), drivers should check road and weather conditions before they travel. Bad weather can see roads closed at short notice.