The worst of Tauranga's wet weather is nearly over.
Heavy rain and strong winds pummelled parts of the city early this morning, resulting in nearly 7mm of rain falling since midnight. Most of which fell since 8am.
Metservice issued a heavy rain warning for eastern parts of the Bay of Plenty today, advising streams and rivers could rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips were also possible and driving conditions might be hazardous.
Metservice predicted between 60 and 80mms of rain to fall in eastern areas this morning, with peak intensities of 15 to 20mm per hour.
In Tauranga, rain is expected to be heavy during this morning before clearing about midday as strong northerlies turn lighter southwest.
The wet weather leaves Tauranga over the next couple of days before returning as periods of rain on Saturday and Sunday.
The stormy weather has been caused by an intense low through New Zealand early today while an associated cold front moves eastwards across the North Island.
This storm was expected to bring heavy rain to parts of the North and South Islands, heavy snow to parts of the lower South Island, and widespread northwesterly gales to central and southern New Zealand.