It's set to be a wet start to the long weekend for Gisborne and northern Hawke's Bay, where heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected.
Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Gisborne Civil Defence has issued a severe thunderstorm watch and urged travellers to take care on the roads over Labour weekend.
Up to 200mm of rain is expected in some areas from this afternoon.
Metservice meteorologist Stephen Glassy said a strong southerly flow over the North Island was the culprit.
"It's going to push some heavy rain into the Gisborne region and also northern Hawkes Bay, north of Wairoa.
"We've got a heavy rain warning in force from this afternoon until Saturday night, and thunderstorms are also possible during that time."
Conditions should ease to showers by Sunday, he said.
