Warning of heavy rain

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 2

Warning of heavy rain

Farmers in parts of Westland, Southland and Otago were warned yesterday to move stock from low-lying areas as a warm front was forecast to bring heavy rain to the southwest of the South Island. The Meteorological Service said that in the 36 hours from 2 p.m. yesterday between 200 mm and 300 mm of rain was expected to fall in the western ranges of Southland and Otago, 20mm to 30mm falling on the Southland and Otago coasts. The Westland Catchment Board was warned to expect between 100 mm and

150 mm to fall in the ranges north of Haast, from about 3 a.m. today. It was “not what I’d call really heavy rain, but a bit of a nuisance,” said Mr Brian Fauth, the acting operations manager of the Westland Catchment Board. West Coast rivers were already high, however, and because it was a warm front some of the snow that had fallen in the mountains in the last week was likely to melt, he said. The board had issued a first warning to farmers to move stock from low-lying areas, but did not expect significant problems, he said.