The heavy rain and strong winds over the weekend have left their mark on Marlborough’s parks and roads.

All sports parks are closed until at least Wednesday, except for the hockey turf at College Park.

In downtown Blenheim, Riverside Park from Stuart Street to Hutcheson Street bridge is closed, as is the Taylor River Reserve from Hutcheson Street bridge to the Henry Street foot bridge.

The Taylor River Reserve south of the Henry Street footbridge is still open.

Tree branches are down in a number of places – please be careful if you’re out and about today.

The following roads are closed:

• Queen Charlotte Drive at Wedge Point, due to a slip.
• Old Renwick Road and Jacksons Road at the fords.
• Taylor Pass Road at the ford.

Drivers should be careful driving on wet roads and surface flooding. While the worst of the rain has eased there’s still water around. Do not attempt to drive through flood water.

Weather update

This was a south-easterly event, so rainfall was heaviest in the eastern Marlborough Sounds area – Kenepuru, Waikawa, Picton, Havelock received 130 to 145mm; Koromiko and Rarangi 90 to 100mm.

There were lesser amounts in the north-west Marlborough Sounds and decreasing amounts up the Richmond Range and inland Marlborough. Totals down the East Coast were generally in the 60-80mm range, again dropping off further inland.

Blenheim and the Southern Valleys received 60 to 75mm; the Taylor and Omaka rivers levels are up significantly. Rainfall has now dropped back to a few showers - nothing significant is forecast for the rest of today.

© Scoop Media