Northland residents are being warned of rising rivers, surface flooding, slips and hazardous driving conditions due to thundery downpours in the region, MetService says.
(file photo) Photo: 123RF
MetService has issued a severe weather warning for Northland and 120mm of rain is expected to fall in the area today.
Meteorologist Gerrit Keyser said lightning was striking just north of the North Island this morning, and thunder storms were expected to move into Northland.
NZTA has warned motorists in the area to take extra care in the roads and to drive to conditions.
A severe weather watch has been issued for Gisborne until late this afternoon, while a watch for Auckland north of the Harbour Bridge, Great Barrier Island and Coromandel Peninsula has been lifted.
Mr Keyser said a wet weekend was likely for much of the North Island, with rain reaching northern parts of the South Island tomorrow evening and moving further south on Sunday.
Rain would also move into the South Island from the West Coast, he said
Meanwhile, MetService is keeping a close eye on a potential cyclone developing in the Pacific, but Mr Keyser said it was too far out to predict any movement of the weather system.