The sun may be shining on the third day of the Bostock Hawke's Bay Spring Carnival on Saturday but the track is guaranteed to be wet following a week of persistent Hawke's Bay precipitation.
MetService meteorologist Tuporo Marsters said the region has been stuck with a moist easterly flow thanks to a high pressure system blocking the weather pattern from moving on.
As a result a stationary front has been sitting over the middle of the North Island "with nowhere to go".
A heavy rain warning is in place north of Gisborne today and a lower-level "watch" warning for heavy rain on the Hawke's Bay ranges this afternoon.
He said on Friday the wet weather will start to ease and Saturday will see fine spells with a chance of showers.