Heavy rain and strong winds have lashed parts of New Zealand as a cold front moved east across the country, and authorities warn conditions could worsen over the next 24 hours, triggering floods and landslides.
The northern regions of both the South Island and North Island of the country could be severely affected by the wild weather, the country's weather bureau said on Friday.
New Zealand's MetService said the wind would pick up from Friday afternoon, with gusts of up to 120km/h forecast for some regions. There could be severe thunderstorms later on Friday, MetService's Heather Keats said.
Image credit: JMA/Himawari-9, RAMMB/CIRA, Acquired at 03:00 UTC on July 11, 2025