Otago Archives » Community Alerts

Otago News & Alerts

June 9, 2022

Heavy rain – Road Snowfall – Heavy Snowfall

Heavy Rain Warning – Orange Period: 7hrs from 9am – 4pm Thu, 9 Jun

Area: Buller and Westland north of Okarito

Forecast: Expect a further 30 to 50mm of rain on top of what has already fallen. Peak rates of 10 to 20mm/h and thunderstorms likely. Another period of heavy rain is possible on Friday, and a Watch is now in force covering this possibility.

Impact: Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.

Road Snowfall Warning Period: 12hrs from 3am – 3pm Fri, 10 Jun

Area: Arthur’s Pass (SH73)

Forecast: Snow may affect higher parts of the road, and 1 or 2 cm may settle on the road near the summit at times, with lesser amounts down to 800 metres. Another period of snow is possible from Friday night and into Saturday.

Road Snowfall Warning Period: 12hrs from 3am – 3pm Fri, 10 Jun

Area: Porters Pass (SH73)

Forecast: Snow showers may affect higher parts of the road, and 1 or 2 cm may settle on the road near the summit at times, with lesser amounts down to 800 metres. Another period of snow is possible from Friday night into Saturday.

Road Snowfall Warning Period: 13hrs from 11pm Thu, 9 Jun – noon Fri, 10 Jun

Area: Haast Pass (SH6)

Forecast: Snow may affect the road from tonight through to around midday Friday, and 1 to 3 cm of snow may settle on the road near the summit. Another period of snow is possible from Friday evening into Saturday.

Road Snowfall Warning Period: 3hrs from midnight Thu, 9 Jun – 3am Fri, 10 Jun

Area: Lindis Pass (SH8)

Forecast: Snow flurries may affect the summit of the road this (Thursday) morning, but little if any snow should settle on the road. A brief period of snow may affect the road overnight tonight, and 3 to 5 cm of snow may settle on the road above 800 metres, with lesser amounts down to 600 metres. Please note, another period of snow may affect the road from late Friday into early Saturday morning.

Heavy Rain Watch Period: 24hrs from midnight Thu, 9 Jun – midnight Fri, 10 Jun

Area: Westland and Buller

Forecast: A brief burst of heavy rain is expected overnight tonight (Thursday), then rain should pick up again from late Friday morning. Thunderstorms are also possible. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, mainly about the ranges. The freezing level is forecast to lower to around 1200 metres in Westland on Friday, with heavy snow likely above about 900 metres, though snow may fall as low as 600 metres at times or possibly lower, especially south of the Glaciers. Note, furthers showers, some possibly heavy, are expected into Saturday.

Heavy Snow Watch Period: 6hrs from midnight Thu, 9 Jun – 6am Fri, 10 Jun

Area: Central Otago, the Queenstown Lakes District and the Canterbury High Country west of Otematata and about and south of Mount Cook village

Forecast: A brief period of heavy snow is possible above 700 metres during this time, and snow amounts may approach warning criteria above 700 metres. Please note, another period of heavy snow is possible late Friday and Saturday.

Strong Wind Watch Period: 7hrs from 11pm Thu, 9 Jun – 6am Fri, 10 Jun

Area: Nelson, Buller, Westland, Marlborough excluding the Sounds, the Canterbury High Country, Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes District

Forecast: Northerly winds may approach severe gale in exposed places. Please note, another period of severe gale north to northwesterlies is possible late Friday.

May 18, 2022

Heavy rain for parts of the South Island and the upper North Island, also severe gales possible for central and southern New Zealand

A series of fronts embedded in a moist northwesterly flow are expected to affect the country through to late Thursday, bringing periods of heavy rain to the western areas of the South Island and the upper North Island. Heavy rain warnings and watches are in force for these areas.

Additionally, strong west to northwest winds are expected ahead of the front that moves north over the country later today (Wednesday) and Thursday. Strong wind watches are in force for parts of central and southern New Zealand.

People are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case any changes are made or more areas are added.

Heavy Rain Warning – Orange

Impact: Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.

Area: Ranges of Bay Of Plenty east of Opotiki

Period: 15hrs from 7am – 10pm Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Expect 70 to 110mm to accumulate. Peak rates of 15 to 25mm/h.

Area: Westland about and south of Otira

Period: 16hrs from 11pm Wed, 18 May – 3pm Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Expect 70 to 100mm to accumulate about the ranges and lesser amounts near the coast. Peak rates of 15 to 25m/h, especially in thunderstorms.

Area: Fiordland

Period: 13hrs from 5pm Wed, 18 May – 6am Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Expect 70 to 90mm to accumulate. Peak rates of 15 to 25mm/h, especially in thunderstorms.

Heavy Rain Watch

Area: Northland

Period: 34hrs from 9am Wed, 18 May – 7pm Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rain amounts may approach warning criteria for short durations during this time for example 70mm in 12 hours. Note, rain is expected to ease for a time overnight tonight (Wednesday) and during Thursday morning.

Area: Buller, Westland north of Otira

Period: 14hrs from 5am – 7pm Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, especially about the ranges.

Area: Headwaters of Canterbury lakes and rivers

Period: 9hrs from 4am – 1pm Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain with thunderstorms. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.

Area: Headwaters of Otago lakes and rivers

Period: 12hrs from 10pm Wed, 18 May – 10am Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain with thunderstorms. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.

Strong Wind Watch

Area: Canterbury High Country

Period: 14hrs from 11pm Wed, 18 May – 1pm Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Northwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Area: Central Otago, Southern Lakes, Clutha, Southland, Stewart Island

Period: 10hrs from 9pm Wed, 18 May – 7am Thu, 19 May

Forecast: West to northwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Area: Wairarapa, Wellington and Marlborough Sounds

Period: 7hrs from 9am – 4pm Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Northwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Area: Marlborough excluding the Sounds

Period: 9hrs from 5am – 2pm Thu, 19 May

Forecast: Northwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Issued: 9:19am Wed, 18 May
Next update: 9pm Wed, 18 May

March 18, 2022

Heavy Rain Watch

Period:

9hrs from 9am – 6pm Sat, 19 Mar

Area:

Westland about and south of Bruce Bay

Forecast:

Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall accumulations may approach warning criteria, especially about the ranges.

January 24, 2022

The Antidote: One of Five happy things to read about today, January 24

We live in unusual times. It all gets a bit much some days. So we’re bringing you a much-needed dose of positivity to remind you that there’s inspiration, kindness and quirkiness out there too.

Rare twin elephants born in Kenya

Twin baby elephants have been born this week in a rare event at a national reserve in northern Kenya.

The male and female were first spotted by tour guides out on safari at the Samburu reserve at the weekend.

They are only the second set of twin calves ever to have been encountered by local conservation charity Save the Elephants.

The charity said elephant twins account for only 1 per cent of elephant births, with the last known case recorded in 2006.

African elephants have the longest gestation period of any mammal. They carry their young for nearly 22 months, and give birth around every four years.

for more Happy News – click here

January 24, 2022

COVID-19: Contact tracing locations of interest

Locations of interest are linked to public exposure events. We will not always publish casual contact events for regions that are at Red. We will publish close contact events for all regions. Follow the health instructions if you were at a location on the same date and time shown.

Not all exposure events will become locations of interest if health officials can identify everyone who may have been exposed (for example, a flight, a hairdresser with booked appointments, a private social event). These are considered private exposure events and you will be contacted by a district health board, the Ministry of Health or a district health board public health unit. Please follow their advice.

Locations of Interest

January 17, 2022

Severe Weather Outlook

A cold front is expected to move northeast over the South Island on Wednesday and across the North Island on Thursday, bringing a period of rain or showers.

There is low confidence of rainfall accumulations reaching warning amounts in Fiordland and the ranges of southern Westland during Wednesday.

A ridge of high pressure is forecast to build over New Zealand on Friday and persist through Saturday, bringing mostly settled weather to much of the country.

Civil Defense – Get Flood Prepared

Floods happen often in New Zealand and can cause a lot of damage and loss of life. Find out what to do before, during and after flooding.

Nevis Bluff, SH6, spring 2021 programme – keeping people safe from bouncing rocks

From next Monday, 1 November 2021, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Nevis Bluff spring safety programme gets underway.

October 27, 2021

Otira Gorge closure first week November, Rock Shelter remediation completion

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will be closing the Otira Gorge next week in order to undertake maintenance at the Rock Shelter, clearing the build-up of shingle and rocks on the shelter roof.

September 27, 2021

Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Fund

Sport Otago manages the Sport New Zealand Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa fund for the Otago region. The fund exists to activate our tamariki/children and rangatahi/teens through sport, active recreation and play. It has a strong emphasis on understanding the needs of our youth and delivering what they want to do to be active. Sport New Zealand are specifically targeting Maori, Pacifica, and children with disabilities, but projects to active all inactive and under-active youth can be considered.

The Community ALERTS Directory appears as a banner on electronic emails and notices circulated by schools using the School-links communication platform.

Submit your community organisation’s latest news item or alert

DISCLAIMER: While we have made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this directory has been obtained from reliable sources, Solvam Corporation is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All news, alerts and organization contact information on this site is provided by contributors external to Solvam Corporation. We offer no guarantee of completeness, accuracy or timeliness. Certain links on this site connect to other websites maintained by third parties over whom Solvam Corporation has no control. Solvam Corporation makes no representations as to the accuracy or any other aspect of information contained in other websites.