Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Covering period of Sunday 15 – Monday 16 February 2026 – At 2:36pm MetService escalated the Severe Weather Warnings in Manawatu, Rangitikei and Ruapehu Districts north of Feilding and east of State Highway One to a Red Warning for Heavy Rain, in consultation with the Horizons Regional Council.    

All MetService Warnings have the potential for impacts, but Red Warnings are reserved for the most extreme weather events where significant impact and disruption are expected.

The escalation to a Red Warning comes as a deep area of low pressure sinks southwards across the eastern coast of the North Island, feeding heavy rain into the region, accompanied by strong gusty winds.

The heaviest rain is forecast for overnight tonight, Sunday, into Monday with the Red Severe Weather Warning running from 6pm Sunday to 2pm Monday.

MetService meteorologist John Law says, “It will be a wet and windy night for many parts of the lower and eastern North Island tonight, with rain returning and persisting through the night. The rainfall around Taihape and the eastern areas of Manawatu is of particular concern, bringing a threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding, slips and disrupting travel.”

“A Red Warning signifies that people need to act now as immediate action is required to protect people, animals and property from the impact of the weather. People should also be prepared to follow the advice of official authorities and emergency services.”

This is the second Red Warning MetService has issued this year, and it’s the 21st Red Warning weather event since the highest alert level was introduced back in May 2019.

Severe Weather Warnings and Watches also cover much of the eastern and lower North Island both for Heavy Rain and Strong Winds. With strengthening winds forecast though the night, Strong Wind Warnings for severe gales extend from the Cook Strait coast right up the eastern coast with a high chance that the warnings in Hawke’s Bay, eastern Taihape, the Tararua District and Wairarapa could be upgraded to a Red Warning. The strong winds will also be generating rough seas and large waves around the southern and eastern coasts of the North Island.  
 
As the weather system sinks southwards wind and rain will reach down to the top of the South Island, where some Severe Weather Warnings and Watches are also in place.  
 
Keep up to date with weather and warnings via metservice.com or our free MetService weather app.  

MetService also now provides push notifications for Severe Weather Warnings via our app.  More information can be found here about enabling them. 

Understanding MetService Severe Weather Warning System

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings (Localised Red Warning) – take cover now:

This warning is a red warning for a localised area.
When extremely severe weather is occurring or will do within the hour.
Severe thunderstorms have the ability to have significant impacts for an area indicated in the warning.
In the event of a Severe Thunderstorm Red Warning: Act now!

Red Warnings are about taking immediate action:

When extremely severe weather is imminent or is occurring
Issued when an event is expected to be among the worst that we get – it will have significant impact and it is possible that a lot of people will be affected
In the event of a Red Warning: Act now!

Orange Warnings are about taking action:

When severe weather is imminent or is occurring
Typically issued 1 – 3 days in advance of potential severe weather
In the event of an Orange Warning: Take action.

Thunderstorm Watch means thunderstorms are possible, be alert and consider action

Show the area that thunderstorms are most likely to occur during the validity period.
Although thunderstorms are often localised, the whole area is on watch as it is difficult to know exactly where the severe thunderstorm will occur within the mapped area.
During a thunderstorm Watch: Stay alert and take action if necessary.

Watches are about being alert:

When severe weather is possible, but not sufficiently imminent or certain for a warning to be issued
Typically issued 1 – 3 days in advance of potential severe weather.
During a Watch: Stay alert

Outlooks are about looking ahead:

To provide advanced information on possible future Watches and/or Warnings
Issued routinely once or twice a day
Recommendation: Plan.

By the time most women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in New Zealand, it’s too late to save their lives, says University of Auckland cancer researcher Dr Alicia Didsbury.

A trustee of The Ovarian Cancer Foundation New Zealand, Didsbury helped write and present the latest State of Ovarian Cancer Report to MPs, patients and medical professionals in Wellington on 11 February. (ref. https://ovariancancerfoundation.org.nz/state-of-ovarian-cancer-in-aotearoa/ )

The foundation’s report states that 60 percent of GPs said ovarian cancer diagnosis was delayed, because of difficulty accessing ultrasound scans.

If ovarian cancer is picked up at stage one or two, it’s often curable with surgery and, in some cases, chemotherapy, Didsbury says.

When picked up in these early stages, 70 to 90 percent of women survive for five years or more.

However, about 85 percent of women are not diagnosed with ovarian cancer until they are at stage three, when the cancer has spread to their lymph nodes or abdominal lining, or stage four, when the cancer has spread to other organs, such as the lungs or liver, she says.

By these late stages, the chances of survival drop dramatically, says Didsbury, from the University’s Centre for Cancer Research.

“Almost half of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed in emergency departments in New Zealand, which is double the rate in Australia.

“When it’s picked up in emergency departments, 42 percent will die within a year.”

Didsbury says the high rate of emergency department diagnosis is a warning sign the health system is failing women.

“An emergency department diagnosis should be the exception – not the norm.”

The report calls for better access to blood tests and scans that help diagnose ovarian cancer, and funding for more research that could develop better tests and treatments.

The Ovarian Cancer Foundation surveyed 500 members of the public, as well as women with ovarian cancer and GPs.

Before they were diagnosed, 75 percent of women reported being misdiagnosed with menopause symptoms, urinary tract infections, stress, ovarian cysts, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, needing to lose weight, and depression.

Didsbury says women need to be persistent in asking their GP for tests if they have ongoing early symptoms of ovarian cancer, such as bloating; feeling full after eating little; abdominal, pelvic or back pain; frequent or urgent urination; changes in bowel habits; fatigue; or menstrual irregularities.

While ovarian cancer mostly affects postmenopausal women, it can strike younger women, who often have rarer types of the disease that are harder to detect through blood tests.

The report found nearly two-thirds of New Zealanders incorrectly believe cervical cancer screening detects ovarian cancer, and 60 percent did not know the symptoms.

“There is no screening for ovarian cancer, so women’s awareness of symptoms is vital for early detection.

“If they have new symptoms that persist for more than four weeks, they need to ask for thorough tests to check for ovarian cancer,” she says.

The report calls for a national strategy to address ovarian cancer, which kills more than 200 women a year in New Zealand.

“Ovarian cancer is our deadliest women’s cancer,” Didsbury says.

Despite this, ovarian cancer is under-researched and underfunded in comparison to more common cancers, she says.

Didsbury’s interest in researching cell-based treatments for ovarian cancer was sparked by a family member being diagnosed tragically late with the disease in 2019.

“Like many women, she was misdiagnosed for about 18 months and by the time she had treatment, she was already terminal.”

Didsbury searched for New Zealand clinical trials that might offer hope for her sick family member.

“I was appalled to find there were none.

“We’ve got good researchers in New Zealand looking at this type of cancer, but they’re struggling to get funding.

“We need to do more clinical trials so we can build the body of knowledge and provide better care.”  

Including information on the New Zealand Cancer Registry about the treatments patients received and their outcomes would be a great first step towards improving care, she says.

“There are plenty of actions we can take to make a big difference to women’s chances of survival and to improve their quality of life with ovarian cancer,” says Didsbury.

“In 2026, the Screenrights Cultural Fund is placing a strong emphasis on supporting innovators who are expanding, improving, and accelerating learning outcomes through the creative use of screen stories,” says Tom Alegounarias, Chair of the Cultural Fund Working Group. “This year’s focus highlights our commitment to empowering those who are pushing boundaries in knowledge sharing and learner engagement through screen stories – both within the screen industry and across broader educational sectors. We welcome applications from a wide range of initiatives, whether you're developing interactive learning tools and innovative curriculum content, or building mentorship platforms and screen-based projects that foster professional growth and community learning.”

Removing Barriers to Entry

The Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, manager of the $90 billion NZ Superannuation Fund, has appointed Qing Ding to the newly-created role of Head of Portfolio Strategy and Research.

Ding rejoins the Guardians from ANZ Investments, where she was Head of Asset Allocation. During her previous time at the Guardians, Qing worked in the Tactical Credit and Asset Allocation teams, and was a key contributor to the 2020 review of the Guardians' Reference Portfolio.

She had earlier worked as a Senior Investment Analyst at both the Government Superannuation Authority and Westpac NZ, having started her career at AMP Capital Investors.

Guardians Co-Chief Investment Officer Will Goodwin says Ding's job will be to help ensure the Fund's investment decisions fully consider current market conditions as well as the Fund's long-term beliefs, structural advantages and investment objectives.

“Asset allocation is every investor's most important decision. Qing's skills and experience will help us to construct the right portfolio to meet our mandate and continue to deliver strong returns for all New Zealanders over the long run,” Goodwin says.

“As a member of the Investment Leadership Team, Qing will make an important contribution to the future strategic direction of the Investment Group and to the performance of the Fund.”

Ding says she is looking forward to the challenge of her new role, and to again being part of the Guardians' investment team.

“I made some very good friends at the Guardians. It will be great to be working alongside them again.”