Photo: Grey District Council
Heavy rain is drenching the Grey and Buller districts on the West Coast, causing flooding and slips that have closed key roads.
Emergency operations centres have been activated in both districts, with the Grey District Council advising people in flood-prone areas that they might need to evacuate if they feel uncertain.
Grey district mayor Tania Gibson says people should avoid non-essential travel as water in the backcountry moves towards the coast.
"It came through very fast up at Waipuna and up at Ahaura this morning. The farmers alerted me. It happened very quickly for them so it took us a little bit by surprise even though we knew we were getting quite a lot of rain," she said.
"At the moment there doesn't seem to be too much risk to houses or homes, which is great. We just watching that all very closely."
West Coast Emergency Management said the Grey River was still rising, as floodwaters moved downstream.
Staff were keeping a close watch on Kaiata and Golf Links Roads, near Greymouth, while the Greymouth Aerodrome runway was closed, because of flooding.
A slip about 40 metres from Sawyers Creek, off Marlborough Street, was being monitored.
Controller Andy Thompson said there were also reports of toilets backing up, and wood and debris in rivers.
Civil Defence staff would remain on deck until midnight.
Earlier Ahaura's Awahono School sent children home.
West Coast Emergency Management group manager Claire Brown said schools were being contacted as a precaution, as water levels rose at Coal Creek and Kaiata ahead of school bus runs.
The council said the Ahaura River had started to plateau and the Waipuna was falling by 11.30am.
Atarau Road was being watched closely but rivers were starting to fall, while the Iveagh Bay underpass flooded so the bypass route over the railway was opened.
There was surface flooding from Stillwater to Moana, the council said.
Photo: Grey District Council
Meanwhile, parts of a major alpine pass were closed, as wild weather battered the upper South Island.
State Highway 7 was closed between Stillwater and Ngahere, and also Stillwater and Dobson, and was likely to remain unpassable until Saturday morning, when floodwaters recede. Detours were in place for both closures.
The highway between Springs Junction and Reefton was also shut, but partially re-opened on Friday evening.
The one lane was operating under 'give way rules' and users were asked to travel with extra care.
The road obstructed at Rahu Saddle, on the closed section of SH7 between Reefton and Springs Junction. Photo: NZTA
State Highway 67 from Mokihinui to Karamea Bluff was closed because of a slip, while the bad weather had also caused flooding on the road between the Lower Buller Gorge and Mokihinui, State Highway 6 through the Lower Buller Gorge and from Greymouth to Punakaki and State Highway 67A from Westport to Cape Foulwind.
Rocks had fallen on State Highway 6 near Meybille Bay, north of Punakaiki.
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) was also urging people to take extra care State Highway 73 between Arthur's Pass Village and Kumara Junction because of flooding and slips.
Buller mayor Jamie Cleine said the rain had mainly fallen in the ranges, affecting inland rivers around Reefton.
Buller Emergency Management said staff were keeping a close watch on river levels across northern Buller and Inangahua.
Teams were clearing drains and checking key areas, while pumps would be deployed in known trouble spots and roads could close around Westport on Friday afternoon for safety reasons.
Photo: Grey District Council
MetService is warning of a wet and windy weekend for some parts of the country, with periods of heavy rain and strong northwest winds for central and southern New Zealand, while others can look forward to clear skies and warm temperatures.
A front moving up the South Island is set to stall over on Friday, embedding unsettled weather over the upper South Island and lower North Island.
That has seen heavy rain warnings for the Buller and Tararua ranges until Sunday and a strong wind watch extending for almost two days for the bottom of the North Island.
The 42-hour wind warning covers Wellington, Wairarapa and the Tararua District until 8pm on Sunday, and could see northwest winds approaching severe gale in exposed places.
Updated Watches and Warnings
— MetService (@MetService) October 9, 2025
Buller and Grey have been upgraded to Orange Heavy Rain Warnings️ It's looking like a wet few days through there
Canterbury High Country has also been upped to an Orange Warning for Wind
Head to https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 for full details pic.twitter.com/dYNfGFZ7wI
MetService said there was a moderate chance the watch could be upgraded to a warning.
The capital can expect cloud with occasional drizzle and winds gusting up to 100km/h.
Gusty north westerlies will bring summery temperatures to parts of the eastern North Island with 28C expected in Hastings and 27C in Napier.
A strong wind watch is also in place for Marlborough until 2pm on Friday.
Rain will ease briefly for the West Coast on Saturday, before another front arrives from the south later in the day, bringing further showers.
Nelson Lakes and the Tasman District west of Takaka have heavy rain watches in place until mid-afternoon and midnight Saturday respectively - both have moderate chances of being upgraded to warnings, MetService said.
️High 20s in October!!!️
— MetService (@MetService) October 9, 2025
Things are warm around the country today, with most places looking to crack 20° today, but east coasters will be the hottest
Napier & Hastings Maximum: 27-28°
Christchurch, Kaikoura and Blenheim: 23-24°https://t.co/Yjbq0jgaoz pic.twitter.com/PKAysTSVQF
The east coast of the South Island is in for a fine start to the weekend with temperatures between 21C and 24C expected from Oamaru to Culverden on Friday.
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