MetService has orange heavy rain warnings in place for parts of the nation tonight

The Richmond and Bryant Ranges including Rai Valley, and Tasman north of Motueka, are in for peak rainfall rates up to 50mm an hour until the early hours of the morning.

The Tararua Range is in for up to 100mm of rain at up to 40mm an hour, with damaging wind gusts, between now and 6 in the morning.

In the ranges north of Haast in Westland, and the headwaters of the Canterbury Lakes, heavy rain will continue for the next few hours.

The strong wind warning for the Canterbury High Country has now been lifted.