(1.30pm) Parts of Canterbury have recorded more than a month’s worth of rain in just 36 hours, with totals between 100 and 180 millimetres since Wednesday.

A local state of emergency has been declared in the Selwyn District due to rising river levels and ongoing severe weather.

The Selwyn District Council is urging residents in Selwyn Huts to self-evacuate as a precaution, citing concerns about potential flooding from the Selwyn River.

In response to the threat, sandbags have been distributed in several areas including West Melton, Doyleston, and Leeston.

Community sandbag stations have also been set up in Sheffield, Glentunnel, Ladbrooks, and Leeston. While sand and bags are available at these stations, residents are advised to bring their own spades.

Further rain is expected in the eastern South Island throughout the day, although conditions are forecast to gradually improve south of Amberley by this evening.

Winds have been fierce near and around Banks Peninsula, where gusts have hit 113 km/h at Sugarloaf.

Snow also fell heavily overnight in the Mackenzie District, with Tekapo receiving around 15 centimetres.

Light snowfall is still likely in elevated parts of Canterbury and Marlborough, but the heaviest snow has now passed.

Temperatures remain low across the region, with maximums of just 8°C in Wanaka and 9°C in both Queenstown and Ashburton. Brisk southwesterly winds are making conditions feel even colder, particularly along the coast.

MetService warns that this is an evolving weather situation and encourages people to stay up to date via official channels and heed advice from Civil Defence and emergency services.