News reports yesterday about a major storm moving into the South Island were untrue as a “typical spring system” moves in.  Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the front and low moving in will cause some heavy rain to the West Coast mountains but nothing extraordinary.

Mr Duncan says winds may reach gale force inland in some places this morning about Southland and Otago but conditions have eased a lot.

Our Government weather forecaster still has rain warnings for western parts of the Southern Alps but they are nothing out the ordinary.

“There’s another system of more concern which is likely to develop on Thursday in the Tasman Sea.  This could bring some more heavy rain to both islands by Sunday or Monday” says Duncan.  “We’ll have all the details on it later today”.