[3] On 21 September, MetService reported that an active wet front was moving up the South Island through the Southland and Otago regions.
[4] Heavy rainfall also caused landslides at several Queenstown locations including Reavers Lane, Fernhill, the Glenorchy-Queenstown Rd, Bob's Peak, and Wilson's Bay[4][6] St Peter's College in Gore was also completely flooded.
[4] According to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Queenstown recorded its wettest day in 24 years on 21 September, with 87mm of rain falling during that period.
MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey forecast that the Gisborne District/Tairāwhiti and parts of the Bay of Plenty would receive two months' worth of rain within the next 48 hours.
[3] On 21 September, power utility company Powernet reported widespread electrical outages across Southland as a result of the rain and flooding.
[4] On 22 September, St Peter's College principal Tara Quinney reported that all but two of the school's ground floors had been inundated by floodwater.
For the past two years, Skyline had been clearing wilding pines on the hillside to create a firebreak around the gondola and Queenstown's Red Zone.
[10] Waka Kotahi's Otago and Southland systems manager Robert Choveaux confirmed that the highway would remain close for the near future and estimated that 20,000 cubic metres of debris needed to be removed before its reopening.
Vicar Dr Michael Godrey told the Otago Daily Times that the QLDC had failed to inform him that they had designated the church as an evacuation centre.
[5] Gore Mayor Bell confirmed that council staff and the fire service had managed to save 20 buildings in his town from flooding through pumping.
Gore fire chief Steve Lee stated that local volunteer firefighters and neighbouring brigades had spent the past 24 hours responding to the flooding.
The Ngā Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust assisted with emergency food donations in the Southland region.
[13] On 23 September, Mayor Lewers lifted Queenstown's state of emergency, with the resort town entering into a "transition period" for the next 28 days.
The QLDC also cordoned off the area between Brecon St and Reavers Lane, where the two debris flow from Bob's Peak were experienced.