Schools close across West Coast and Nelson in anticipation of severe storm

February 20, 2018

Director Sarah Stuart-Black says transport could be badly affected in numerous areas, and families should have contingency plans in place.

Many schools and early learning centres across the West Coast, Nelson and Tasman are closing today in anticipation of the severe weather. 

A press release by the Ministry of Education says over 40 schools and 17 ECEs will not open, or will be closing early today. 

The region has been hard hit in the last month, after two storms hit Nelson which saw water surges leaving parts of the Nelson coastline in ruins, and many areas flooded.

Follow 1 NEWS NOW's live updates as ex-tropical Cyclone Gita hits the country

Wind gusts of up to 150km/h are expected, and 1 NEWS meteorologist Daniel Corbett warns that people should not underestimate what is coming.

Last Friday. the Nelson Civil Defence warned the region to prepare themselves for the heavy rain and wind from what is left of Cyclone Gita, predicted to hit New Zealand today. 

The lower North Island and upper South Island will be the worst affected areas.

The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology also closed their campuses in Nelson, Marlborough, Richmond and Woodbourne today. 

For the latest updates, click here. 

The schools closed includes:

  *   Appleby School

  *   Awahono School (Grey Valley)

  *   Barrytown School

  *   Blaketown School

  *   Brooklyn School (Motueka)

  *   Buller High School

  *   Clifton Terrace School

  *   Cobden School

  *   Collingwood Area School

  *   Dovedale School

  *   Enner Glynn School

  *   Fox Glacier School

  *   Franz Josef Glacier School

  *   Garin College

  *   Granity School

  *   Greymouth High School

  *   Greymouth Main School

  *   Haast School

  *   Henley School (Nelson)

  *   Hira School

  *   Hokitika School

  *   Inangahua Junction School

  *   John Paul II High School

  *   Kaniere School

  *   Karamea Area School

  *   Karoro School

  *   Kokotahi-Kowhitirangi School

  *   Kumara School

  *   Lake Brunner School

  *   Matai School

  *   Maruia School

  *   Motueka High School

  *   Motueka South School

  *   Nelson Central School

  *   Nelson College for Girls

  *   Nelson College for Girls Prep School

  *   Paparoa Range School

  *   Parklands School (Motueka)

  *   Paroa School (Greymouth)

  *   Reefton Area School

  *   Riwaka School

  *   Ross School

  *   Runanga School

  *   Sacred Heart School (Reefton)

  *   South Westland Area School

  *   St Canice's School (Westport)

  *   St Joesph's School (Nelson)

  *   St Mary's School (Hokitika)

  *   St Patrick's School (Greymouth)

  *   St Paul's School (Richmond)

  *   Tapawera Area School

  *   Tasman Bay Christian School

  *   Tasman School

  *   Upper Moutere School

  *   Waimea College

  *   Wairau Valley School (Blenheim)

  *   Wakefield School

  *   Westland High School

  *   Westport North School

  *   Westport South School

  *   Whataroa School

Early learning centres closed includes:

  *   Granity/Ngakawau Playcentre

  *   Westport Kindergarten

  *   Westport Playcentre

  *   Reefton Early Learning Centre

  *   Kawatiri Kids

  *   Westport Early Learning Centre

  *   KidsFirst Kindergarten (Greymouth)

  *   KidsFirst Kindergarten (Karoro)

  *   Active Explorers (Hokitika)

  *   Active Explorers (Nelson St)

  *   Active Explorers (Shakespeare St)

  *   Harper Park Early Learning Centre

  *   PORSE Nelson/Marlborough/West Coast

  *   The Children's House (Greymouth)

  *   The Children's House (Hokitika)

  *   Busy Bees

  *   KidsFirst Glacier Country ELC

  *   Learning Land

  *   Rutherford St Kindergarten

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