Alert opened: 19 Feb 2025
MetService Severe Weather Warning
Issued at 10:39am Sun 19 Oct 2025
Heavy rain and severe gales for southern and central New Zealand
A front preceded by a strong and humid northwest flow moves over New Zealand during Monday and Tuesday.
Warnings and Watches for heavy rain and severe gales are now in force.
Please stay up to date with the latest forecast.
Heavy Rain Warning - Orange
Area: The headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers
Period: 12 hours from 7:00am Mon 20 Oct to 7:00pm Mon 20 Oct
Forecast: Expect 100 to 140 mm of rain about the main divide, and 80 to 100 mm within 30 km farther east. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h expected about the divide. Snow level about 2200 metres.
Note, this rainfall may lead to significant river levels well east of the divide.
Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Area: The headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers
Period: 17 hours from 11:00am Mon 20 Oct to 4:00am Tue 21 Oct
Forecast: Expect 150 to 250 mm of rain about the main divide, and 100 to 150 mm within 30 km farther east. Peak rates of 20 to 30 mm/h about the divide. Snow level about 2400 metres.
Note, this rainfall may lead to significant river levels well east of the divide.
Low chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.
Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.
Strong Wind Warning - Orange
Area: Otago
Period: 9 hours from 5:00am Mon 20 Oct to 2:00pm Mon 20 Oct
Forecast: Severe gale northwesterly gusting 120 km/h in exposed places.
Note, another period of severe gales possible during Tuesday.
Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Area: Canterbury High Country and the foothills of the Canterbury Plains
Period: 14 hours from 9:00am Mon 20 Oct to 11:00pm Mon 20 Oct
Forecast: Severe gale northwest gusting 130 km/h in exposed places.
Note, another period of severe gales possible on Tuesday.
Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Impact: Damage to trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures possible. Driving may be difficult, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
Action: Prepare your property by securing items that can be picked up by strong winds. Drive cautiously.
Affected districts
Dunedin City has the second largest land area of any New Zealand city, ranging from intensive urban development around the Otago Harbour to sparsely populated high country in Strath Taieri. Dunedin has beautiful built heritage, stunning scenery & unique biodiversity.
Dunedin City can experience storms, flooding, earthquakes, wildfire, infrastructure failure, space weather and has low lying areas that are at risk to tsunami.
For more information about hazards in the Dunedin district, visit Otago Regional Council's natural hazards portal
Being prepared to look after yourself during an emergency will help you, your family and community through times of disruption.
If life or property is at immediate risk, always call 111.
If you need assistance during an emergency, your first point of contact should be family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues, or those immediately around you wherever you are.
During an emergency, information will be available through several channels from Dunedin City Council and Emergency Management Otago.
When an emergency affects the district, the Dunedin City Council will provide information to the community and visitors through a variety of channels, including their website and Facebook pages.
The Council may use traditional media channels like radio and local newspapers to share information if available.
Sign up to Otago Gets Ready to receive alerts.
Radio Dunedin - 1305 AM, 95.4 & 106.7FM
More FM - 97.4 FM
The Hits - 89.4 FM
The Breeze 98.2 FM
Magic Talk - 96.6 FM
Newstalk ZB - 1044AM
RNZ National - 101.4 FM
RNZ National - 810 AM
OAR FM - 105.4 FM, 1575 AM
Leave home only if you are in immediate danger or if you are officially advised to.
Stay inside (unless you are advised to evacuate) if there is a chemical or gas disaster or a storm. Listen to the radio, look at online media channels or TV for information. If the power is off, you can use a radio app on your phone, a solar or battery powered radio or your car radio.
If you need to evacuate, secure your home as though you were going on holiday and turn off power, water, and gas. Ensure each adult in your household knows how to turn these off.
Evacuate if there is:
No one knows a community better than those who live in it!
Community Resilience Groups are a team people in your area who are trained to open and run a Community Emergency hub. They work with Emergency Management Otago to develop community response plans by the community, for the community. They are a great way for the community to come together, discuss and outline how they plan to respond and keep each other safe during an emergency event.
To ensure that Community Resilience Groups have the capability to activate, training can be provided by Emergency Management Otago to cover:
• Community Emergency Hub operations.
• Health and safety requirements
• Status reporting and radio communications.
Contact your local Emergency Management Advisor for further information on creating a community resilience group for your area or to join an existing one.
Emergency Management Otago works with communities across Dunedin to develop capability and resilience within each community so that they can prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Together we have created a series of community resilience guides. These are living documents and are a short, ready-reference guide with information about local hazards and practical tips for preparedness.
Aramoana Community Resilience Guide
Blueskin Bay Community Resilience Guide
Karitane Community Resilience Guide
Lower West Harbour Community Resilience Guide
Mosgiel Taieri Community Resilience Guide
North Dunedin Community Resilience Guide
Otago Peninsula Community Resilience Guide
Outram Community Resilience Guide
Southern Coastal Community Resilience Guide
Saddle Hill Green Island Community Resilience Guide
Southern Urban Dunedin Community Resilience Guide
Strath Taieri Community Resilience Guide
