All weather watches and warnings for the South Island have been lifted

The worst of ex Cyclone Tam appears to be over - with the North Island similarly free of alerts other than a severe thunderstorm watch covering a chunk of Hawke's Bay and Waikato.

MetService says locals can still expect some heavy rain spots in parts of the upper South Island, and the lifting of warnings doesn't mean it is the end of heavy rain - just that is easing.