Bay of Plenty Civil Defence is urging residents to ensure they are prepared for the severe weather heading for the Bay tonight.
MetService has issued a warning that thunderstorms were likely later tonight and rain was expected to become heavy from around 2am Thursday morning in the west and 4am in the east.
Between 130 to 160 millimetres of rain was expected to accumulate in the 15 - 18 hours following.
Read more: Severe weather to hit Bay
"While the situation in constantly changing, it has the potential to be a significant event and therefore residents are strongly urged to be aware and prepare accordingly," civil defense said in a statement.