Police are advising Bay of Plenty motorists to take extra care on the roads this evening.
Orange warnings are in place in regions across the North Island. Photo: RNZ / Jake McKee
There have been several calls for assistance to emergency services due to surface flooding and fallen trees, police said in a statement.
They have advised motorists to drive with extreme caution, especially in areas where there is surface flooding, as there could be hidden hazards.
"If you can delay travel, we would advise you do so until the weather event has passed," the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, areas of northern Tairāwhiti are expecting heavy rain after being hit twice in the space of three weeks earlier this year.
An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Tairāwhiti from Ruatoria northwards, Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty including Rotorua.
Heavy rain watches are in place for Auckland including Great Barrier, Taupo and Tongariro National Park, Tasman west of Motueka and Westland south of Otira.
Coromandel had heavy rain overnight, Auckland and Waikato have had thunder, while downpours, thunderstorms and strong winds were heading towards other parts of the North Island on Monday.
#AklTraffic are reminded to drive with extra care this morning as wet weather impacts the roading network. Please remember to turn on your headlights, so other road users can see you and drive to the condition. ^MF pic.twitter.com/Ebar4nvLFU
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) May 29, 2022
In Tairāwhiti the region was under an orange rain warning, with up to 150mm expected north of Ruatōria.
Gisborne District Council civil defence manager Ben Green told Morning Report there was a large mass of moist air off the top of the East Coast.
"Over the course of this morning we're assessing where that track is likely to go," he said.
Areas that have been hit hard in the last few months may be under threat.
"Areas that suffered quite significant damage - that's where probably that's not a good scenario if we have a repeat of that."
Wet & windy up north to start off the workweek with good rain already having fallen overnight. Thunderstorms are possible for the rest of the day for the upper North Island while Bay of Plenty remains under an Orange Heavy Rain Warning - details at https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 pic.twitter.com/Y5uNaZ5R65
— MetService (@MetService) May 29, 2022
MetService meteorologist Jessie Owen said Coromandel had experienced significant rain.
"Some stations in the ranges have recorded up to 25mm just in a single hour," she said.
"Be on guard, be careful when you're driving."
"There are more bands and showers on the radar coming through and several bands behind it."
"With the heavy rain through Bay of Plenty and the northern parts of Tairāwhiti, it's only the very northern part of Tairāwhiti, north of Ruatōria, so Gisborne City itself is not going to see as much rain."
The giant koru of cloud in the Tasman Sea is dragging warm, humid air from the north across the country - prime conditions for heavy rain. pic.twitter.com/4FWbqZhMy6
— MetService (@MetService) May 30, 2022
Today's stormy weather is expected to continue for most of the week.
Parts of Coromandel have had more than 100mm of rain this morning.
Contractors have been clearing debris from roads walloped by storms in the area.
Thames Coromandel Civil Defence controller Garry Towler said there had been slips along the coastal roads and one was closed.
With more rain forecast in the coming days, he was expecting further damage until at least Thursday.
MetService expected there will be soggy ground in the upper North Island for days as further rain comes throughout the week.
Golden Bay and the Westland ranges are also on alert for heavy rain as a low in the Tasman Sea moves over the country today.
A heavy rain watch is in place for Tasman, west of Motueka, until mid-afternoon with more heavy rain expected on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
From midnight, a heavy rain watch is also in place for the Westland ranges, south of Otira until 9am tomorrow.
A second, fast moving front is expected to affect the country from late Tuesday through early Wednesday, followed by an unsettled northwesterly flow.
