Heavy rain expected for eastern and upper North Island, heavy snow for upper South Island

Heavy rain bucketed down in Puhoi overnight, causing flooding and at least one slip. MetService says heavy rain may hit eastern and upper North Island today.

The town, 50km north of Auckland, was inundated overnight, although the worst of the flooding had since subsided, staff at the Puhoi Tearooms said.

Fire and Emergency attended a slip in the area around midnight last night, and said there was plenty of water around.

The eastern and upper North Island could see heavy rain today and tomorrow because of slow moving fronts, MetService said.

Great Barrier Island and Northland south of Kawakawa from 5am Wednesday, Coromandel Peninsula from 8am Tuesday and The Ruahine Range from 8am Tuesday could all see rain reaching warning levels.

South Wairarapa flooding

Some South Wairarapa communities are isolated as flooding has taken over the region, South Wairarapa District Council said.

People living along the Tora Coast and around 23 families in Hinakura are stuck until flooding eases.

The Waihenga Bridge to Martinborough on State Highway 53 was closed due to flooding.

Access to Martinborough via Lake Ferry Road and Kahutara Road was open, as wathe Longbush route north, Waka Kotahi said.

Ponatahi Bridge was closed this morning and had since reopened, but South Wairarapa District Council warned it was "marginal" and crews were on standby.

In the South Island, strong wind warnings have been in place for Nelson and Marlborough over the past two days.

State Highway 6 between Hira and Rai Valley, near Nelson, was closed last night because of fallen trees, Waka Kotahi said.

Motorists were advised to use alternative routes.

SH6, between Nelson and Blenheim has reopened, after slips blocked the road.

A Waka Kotahi spokesperson said road crews have managed to clear treefalls, slips, and debris that had forced the closure of this road overnight and today.

The spokesperson said the work involved significant effort as fallen trees had to be removed as well as trees that posed a risk of falling onto the road.

While the link between Nelson and Blenheim was open, due to continuing bad weather the risk of slips and treefalls remained.

Road users should drive to the conditions and be prepared for delays.

Cold southeasterlies could bring further heavy snow to parts of the upper South Island this morning, MetService said.

Heavy snow in Marlborough would ease, it said.

But it could see a further 5cm to 10cm of snow on top of what has already fallen above about 300 metres before 1pm.

Ski fields in the North Island were primed for more patrons following a bumpy start to the season.

Overnight at Mount Ruapehu, eight centimetres of snow fell.