"Grab your rain coat if you are heading out, you'll probably need it," Clark said. But despite the wet it will be warm, with the mercury rising to about 19C.
Tomorrow more showers are expected, with southwesterly winds developing and strengthening as the day progresses.
Occasional showers are on the radar for Friday, with gusty southwesterlies.
Things improve slightly on Saturday with cloudy periods and southwesterlies. A few showers could arrive later in the day.
The three-day outlook out on the briny sees a moderate northeast swell easing by Friday.
Tomorrow morning there will be southwest 20 knot winds, which rise to 30 knots in the afternoon with rough seas, easing early Saturday to 20 knots.
Due to higher than normal tides over the next few days, there is a possibility of coastal inundation in areas exposed to strong northeast winds.
In Whangārei yesterday the 3m king tide saw the water spill over the sea wall at Hihiaua Peninsula. A trail of debris marked the highest point only a metre from the path at one point.
Rainfall records showed that in the 24 hours to 3pm yesterday Kerikeri had the most rain with 67.4mm, Whangārei had 25.2mm, Kaitaia 33.8mm and Dargaville 3.4mm.
Despite the rain there were few weather-related emergency call-outs yesterday.
One of the exceptions was at Pakotai, about 45km west of Whangārei, where a power pole fell about 11.50am, dropping wires across the road.
Volunteers from the Kaikohe Fire Brigade made sure the scene was safe then left it in the hands of Northpower.
