The West Coast is in line to be hammered by wild weather as MetService issues a rare red warning for this weekend.
Between 300 to 400mm of rain is projected to fall by Saturday morning, peaking at 20-30mm an hour this afternoon.
Buller District Mayor Jamie Cleine has declared a local state of emergency, with concern about rising water levels in the Buller River.
Police, assisted by Land Search and Rescue, are working to evacuate people from low lying areas in Westport before weather conditions worsen.
“Anyone with travel plans in Westland and Buller on Friday and Saturday are urged to keep up to date with road information from Waka Kotahi NZTA," said meteorologist Lewis Ferris.
"This is especially relevant due to the school holidays bringing more families to the West Coast."
The surge in rainfall could be the "tipping point" for the area, with slips likely, along with dangerous river conditions and potentially significant flooding.
It’s just the third event to fit the category since it was introduced in 2019, with all them having come in the South Island and one other in the region.
The first came on the West Coast in February last year, causing extensive damage to the mountainous region and its Great Walks.
Department of Conservation’s beloved Routeburn Track was closed for nearly a year, as one of 78 tracks in need of repairs following the floods.
The warnings are reserved for the "most intense weather systems," and are only declared after consulting with Civil Defence along with local regional councils affected.
Ferris said the big storms have the potential to badly impact transportation or even isolate communities like what happened in 2020, where nearly 200 tourists were left stranded in Milford Sound.
South Canterbury, particularly around Ashburton, was hit hard in late May by what was hailed as a "once-in-200-years" event by NIWA.
Up to 30 farms in the area are unlikely to be fully repaired from the damage caused, with another 40 to 60 farms reeling from moderate damage.
It's only been two months since South Canterbury was hit, but MetService says the short period of time between the weather events isn't a cause for concern.
"Two big events in close proximity isn't indicative of a trend," Ferris told 1NEWS.
"It may be we have no red warnings for the next two years but can't say."
The impacts of climate change could see these severe weather events increase over the next few decades as temperatures rise.
"A key change expected in a warming climate is that the intensity will increase - become more severe - in the decades to come.
"We may see events with more extreme impacts in the future that could lead to more red warnings."
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