Canterbury's bracing for gales of up to 150 kilometres this weekend, the South Island facing a battering of wind and rain

MetService has issued a red weather warning for the Canterbury high country from 10 tonight until 3 tomorrow afternoon.

Orange weather warnings are in place for the rest of the South Island, Wellington, and the Wairarapa.

Canterbury Emergency Management Group Controller Phil McKay says people need to prepare.

He says people should secure loose items, charge their phones, listen to their radios, and consider what will happen if they lose electricity or communications.