NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is urging motorists to plan ahead and check the latest conditions before driving on the West Coast, with significant heavy rain and strong winds forecast in parts of the region through to Saturday morning.

Forecast rainfall totals in the region are significant, and may impact parts of the state highway network, including the possibility of surface flooding and debris on road surfaces.

NZTA is monitoring the conditions closely and receiving regular updates from MetService. Given the severity of the forecast weather it may be necessary to close sections of the state highway network overnight on Friday due to the possibility of unsafe driving conditions.

We encourage people to keep a close eye on the weather forecast and road conditions before starting any journeys in the region.

Please check our on-line Journey Planner at www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz for the latest up to date road conditions, including any delays or road closures.

The latest information on weather warnings and watches can be found at https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

· Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic

• Facebook: facebook.com/TransportAgency
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahi_news
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

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