Eastern Bay of Plenty under orange rain warning as MetService forecasts downpours

The Bay of Plenty can expect heavy rain today, with the eastern part of the region under an orange warning.

The MetService has extended the warning until 6pm, with 30 to 50mm of rain and thunderstorms possible.

There was “minimal chance of upgrading to a red warning”.

Rain eases to showers this afternoon for the rest of the region, clearing tonight.

MetService forecaster Alannah Burrows told the Herald the wet weather would continue across the North Island today.

“There will be some fronts pushing up north eastwards and they’re going to continue to cross the North Island,” she said.

“For a lot of areas, we’re seeing rain with heavy outbreaks at times.”

Burrows said the rain would begin to clear from the southeast in the second half of today.

New Zealand is set to experience a brief break in the unsettled weather tomorrow morning, before a new front begins to move up the South Island.