Heavy rain and cold expected to hit North Island later this week

The North Island is in the firing line for heavy rain and a cold snap from an easterly front moving across the motu, MetService is warning.

The harsh weather is expected to reach the North Island later this week after making its presence felt in the South Island. Further south, orange warnings were already in place for heavy snow, rain, and strong winds, in Southland, Otago, Canterbury and Westland until Wednesday.

"It's not often we see persistent rain like this in this part of the country, and the area does not need large amounts of rain for impacts to be felt. We could see surface flooding, especially in eastern areas of Dunedin," MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said.

From Thursday, heavy falls are possible in the North Island, along the eastern coast, particularly around Hawke's Bay and Tai Rāwhiti, MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said.

"The eastern part of the North Island - so that includes those areas that have had recent heavy rain such as Hawke's Bay and even parts of Tairāwhiti-Gisborne - could see from Wednesday and especially on Thursday, possibly into Friday, some possible heavy rain," she said.

Heavy rain watches were also already in place for Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Marlborough, Canterbury and Southland.

Aside from the front sweeping up from the south, heavy rain watches were also in place until early afternoon Tuesday for the Bay of Plenty and around Mount Taranaki, where periods of heavy rain are expected and could approach warning levels.

"This is a developing situation, and although it's all happening in the South Island during the early part of the week, it'll be a good idea for people in the eastern North Island to also have a close eye on the forecast," Makgabutlane said.