Northland residents are feeling “nervous” as they brace for heavy rain and gales of up to 100kph on Monday.

It comes after rain caused chaos across Northland throughout August, cutting Kaitāia off from the rest of the country and causing the closure of State Highway 1 at Mangamuka Gorge.

MetService has issued a heavy rain warning through to 3pm Monday, covering the parts of Northland north and east of a line from Kaitāia to Mangawhai, saying as much as 60mm could fall in a six-hour period.

It is one of a number of weather warnings in place throughout the country.

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Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency is urging drivers in Northland, particularly the Far North, to slow down, increase following distances, and be aware of the possibility of slips, flooding and fallen trees.

For Kaitāia Business Association head Andrea Panther, Monday’s weather warnings were causing apprehension.

“It seems weird to say when you get months during the summer where you need rain, but we’re all a little nervous heading into today.

“Every drop of rain adds to the movement of the ground and puts us at risk of being blocked off from the rest of the country again,” Panther said.

Far North mayor John Carter was also worried about the impact Monday’s weather would have on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s scheduled visit this week.

MetService said the strongest winds were expected in Northland from 11am to 5pm.

Further down the country, a strong wind warning was in place for Taranaki from 9pm Monday until 4am Tuesday.

MetService warned severe gales could gust up to 120kph in exposed places.

A heavy snow warning was in place for the higher parts of Hawke’s Bay, southern Taupō and Taihape from 5pm Monday to 5am Tuesday and for the Gisborne ranges from 1am-7am on Tuesday.

At the other end of the country, the forecast was for snow to near sea level during the day in Southland and south Otago. Snow could fall in the Dunedin hill suburbs during Monday, and also lower to 200m around Christchurch on Monday evening.

There’s also a chance of heavy snow in some central parts of the North Island overnight Monday, with MetService advising as much as 20cm could fall on the Desert Road, and 15cm on the Napier-Taupō Road.

A small amount of snow is possible about the summit of the Remutaka Hill Road north of Wellington overnight and into early Tuesday, and snow showers are possible down to 100m on the Dunedin to Waitati Highway Monday morning.

The rain is being brought by a low pressure system coming out of the north Tasman Sea, and expected to move east-southeast across the upper North Island during Monday into Tuesday.

The southerlies forecast in the north on Monday evening will mark the arrival of a cold snap that will cover the country for several days.

MetService said there was a chance of heavy snow overnight Monday in Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Taupō, from Matawai to the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks. Snow is forecast to be heavy above 800m and some could fall as low as 600m.

Strong winds in coastal Southland and south Otago have eased after tipping over shipping containers, uprooting trees, knocking out power supplies, and causing the cancellation of some flights on Sunday.

After being saturated by rain during winter, Wellington has a chance to dry out this week, but some showers are still expected. Southerlies and southeasterlies will chill the capital with the temperature not expected to top 9C on Tuesday, dropping to 3C early Wednesday.

Temperatures in Christchurch were expected to get to just 9C on Monday and Tuesday. MetService is predicting some cold mornings – down to -2C early Tuesday and to -3C early Wednesday.

In the Far North, southerly swells were expected to develop about Cape Reinga later Monday as the low coming out of the north Tasman Sea crosses the northern North Island.

Southeast winds could be strong in eastern parts of Bay of Plenty and Taupō, and in Taranaki overnight Monday.