Wet and windy end to Labour day weekend for parts of the country

Parts of the South Island are being lashed by heavy rain and severe gales as an active front moves up the country.

Westland and Fiordland are under orange rain warnings, with up to 250 millimetres of rain expected about the ranges of Westland.

People travelling home after the long weekend are advised keep an eye on weather and road conditions.

Metservice issued rain and wind warnings and watches for some of the South Island on Sunday, but more warnings are now in place for parts of the lower North Island.

An orange strong wind warning is in place for Wellington, Wairarapa, the Canterbury High Country and Plains, Otago, Fiordland, Marlborough, Southland and Stewart Island, with gusts up to 120km/h possible in exposed places.

These warnings expire from 7pm Monday in the south and 9am Tuesday in Wellington.

A strong wind watch has also been issued for Christchurch from 6pm Monday, the Tararua District from 11pm Monday and in Horowhenua and Kāpiti from 3am Tuesday.

Metservice said gusts of around 140 km/h can be expected in the most exposed parts of the Canterbury High Country.

An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Grey and Buller districts, Westland, the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers about and south of Arthur's Pass, the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers, and Fiordland.

An orange heavy rain warning will go in place for the Tararua Range from 2am Tuesday.

There is a heavy rain watch for the Queenstown Lakes district away from the headwaters and Southland and Stewart Island, expiring from 11pm Monday in the south to 11am Tuesday in the north.

Westland can expect the heaviest falls, with 200 to 250mm forecast about the ranges and 300mm possible about isolated peaks.

Most of the warnings expire from Tuesday morning with those in the lower South Island expiring on Monday.

Metservice said there is a low to minimal chance of its orange wind and rain warnings being upgraded to red.

It said damage to trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures is possible and advised cautions when driving.