2.30pm, Wednesday 30 April:  Barkers Road at Methven is closed because of flooding at Dry Creek, and Dobson Street West in Ashburton is also closed because of flooding. See below for details.

12pm, Wednesday 30 April: Ashburton Civil Defence Emergency Management is monitoring conditions and advising people to stay up to date with the latest forecasts after MetService issued an orange Heavy Rain Warning for Mid Canterbury.

According to the forecast, the district can expect 120 to 160 mm of rain about the foothills and lesser amounts elsewhere. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h expected about the foothills. Snow lowering to 700 metres tonight - view District Elevation map.

There's a moderate chance of upgrading to a Red Warning and Civil Defence encourages residents to stay up to date with the latest warnings on the MetService website.

With the heavy rain, streams and rivers may rise rapidly and surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions are possible.

What you can do:

• Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.
• Avoid non-essential travel if conditions deteriorate.
• Clear your drains and gutters.
• Do not drive through flooding.
• Stay up to date with the latest MetService warnings.
• Call Council on (03) 307 7700 to report any issues.

Roads

Drivers are encouraged to take extra care on the roads with surface flooding and hazardous driving conditions likely in places. Any road closures can be viewed on the Council’s live road closure map.

Barkers Road at Methven is closed because of flooding at Dry Creek, and Council is preparing to close Methven Chertsey Road and other roads that may be affected by the creek's floodwaters.

Dobson Street West in Ashburton is also closed because of flooding - that's the road at the back of the Warehouse.

Rivers

Rivers across the district will see elevated flows, however Environment Canterbury is not currently expecting significant out-of-river flooding. Environment Canterbury staff will continue to monitor flows and vulnerable areas of the rivers closely. Check their website for the latest river flow data.

Stockwater Network

Flows from stockwater intakes have been reduced ahead of the heavy rain and Council continues to monitor conditions across the network. Please check your own water races to ensure there's nothing that could cause blockages.

Parks & Reserves

The gates to the Bowyers Stream reserve have been locked due to very wet ground conditions and the risk of flooding with more rain forecast. The area will be opened again when weather and ground conditions allow. Visitors can still park and walk into the reserve to use the toilets which are still open.

Stay Informed

• Text your post code to 4196 for free Council text alerts.
• Use the Snap, Send, Solve app or call 03 307 7700 to report any issues to the Council.
• View the latest MetService Weather Warnings on the MetService website.
• Follow the Council and Canterbury CDEM Facebook pages for further updates.
• View our live road closure map.