The front that brought severe thunderstorms to many parts of the North Island headed south prompting heavy rain warnings for the West Coast.
File photo. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Despite heavy downpours overnight, Whakatane managed to avoid any significant damage in the storm.
The Bay of Plenty town was hammered with 45mm of rain just in under an hour on Wednesday morning, but Civil Defence reported no major damage in the region.
Rain and hail swept over the capital on Wednesday and MetService said there would be more later in the morning.
MetService meteorologist said Taranaki remained at risk while those on the West Coast of the South Island should prepare for the possibility of surface flooding and slips.
"We've got another band of rain that's just approaching the West Coast of the South Island, all the way down to the glaciers and through to Fiordland. We've got this bright line of thunderstorms that's making landfall pretty shortly."
Bakker expected Westland to receive as much as 200mm of rain in 24 hours.
MetService issued warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain for much of the central and west of the South Island.
The forecaster said Nelson, Buller, Westland, the Canterbury High Country and Fiordland risked severe thunderstorms. People in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and monitor for possible severe thunderstorm warnings.
An orange heavy rain warning was in place for the ranges of Tasman west of Motueka, Buller and Westland.
Brief heavy rain and strong northeasterlies were moving in ahead of the weather front, which was moving quickly fast across the southeast of the country, MetService said.