Weather to lift in Hawke's Bay after rain, flooding

Flood water at Windsor Park in Hastings this week. Photo / Warren Buckland

The weather is forecast to slowly improve this week for much of Hawke's Bay after rainy conditions soaked areas and flooded a rural road in Central Hawke's Bay on Tuesday.

MetService is predicting showers on Wednesday and Thursday for much of Hawke's Bay followed by finer weather on Friday and Saturday.

That includes Wairoa, Napier, Hastings and Waipukurau.

Central Hawke's Bay District Council confirmed a rural road in Ongaonga - Herrick St - was closed due to flooding early on Tuesday afternoon after some wet weather.

Flooding along a rural road in Central Hawke's Bay, Herrick St in Ongaonga, on Tuesday. Photo / CHB District Council

"It's a bit of a wet one Central Hawke's Bay," the council posted, following the closure.

The southern most parts of the district near Dannevirke will receive more rain than the rest of the region for the rest of the week.

Despite some wet conditions, northerlies and northwesterlies are forecast across Hawke's Bay through to the end of the week, which means relatively warm temperatures.

Parts of the region will get close to 20C on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

A view over Hastings from Te Mata Peak on Tuesday. Photo / Warren Buckland

Meanwhile, MetService has issued a rain watch in central North Island around Mt Ruapehu from Tuesday night to Wednesday afternoon.

"Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria," the statement read.

At this stage it is not expected to impact Hawke's Bay.