A severe weather warning has been issued for the Bay of Plenty.
Metservice issued the warning just after 9am today for the Bay area, explaining a trough of low pressue over New Zealand was expected to extend down to central New Zealand and gradually weakening over the weekend. This will bring heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms to much of the North Island with the Western Bay of Plenty expected to receive some of the heaviest falls.
Up to 143mm of rain is expected from now to Saturday evening, prompting a warning of surface flooding and slips.
Today, at least 62.1mm has been forecast to drench the region.
Since 2am until 7am a total of 7.8mm of rain had already fallen on the city.
Metservice says the heavy rain is expected to continue with the possibility of thunderstorms this afternoon.
The rain is expected to be at its heaviest at lunchtime, with 8.8mm expected between 12pm and 2pm. Wet weather is also expected over the weekend with heavy rain tomorrow and showers on Sunday.
Despite no let up from the wet weather, temperatures are expected to remain warm with a high of 23C today.