The NZ MetService has issued a lifting of rain warnings for Hawke's Bay, but other parts of the country are still under threat of heavy rain.
Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and Bay of Plenty are likely to experience some heavy and possibly thundery falls today.
In contrast, further heavy rain looks less likely to affect Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa, with the watch for those areas now lifted.
Civil Defence authorities in Gisborne are keeping a close eye on river levels, however, as rainfall tallies from overnight show some parts of Gisborne and around Ruatoria have received close to 70 millimetres.
Emergency manager Louise Bennett says flows in some of their larger rivers have peaked early this morning, after last night's heavy rain.
She says they'll be monitored during the day as contributing rivers drain into these major rivers.
The forecast for Hawke's Bay includes southeasterly winds, gradually changing to northwesterlies.