Heavy rain has moved on from Auckland but left a foggy morning in its wake - cancelling flights and creating issues for motorists.
Auckland Airport said fog restrictions had been lifted at 9.47am, but 28 domestic regional flights had been cancelled, and 32 more delayed due to the fog.
The NZ Transport Agency said fog was also present on the city's motorways and advised motorists to take extra care.
Auckland: Areas of fog around this morning, including at the Airport. It looks like it won't last too much longer, with some areas already thinning, but pls check the latest flight information at https://t.co/Lu6lTIkfif and take care on the roads ^GG pic.twitter.com/iTCDNfn9Wi
MetService said the fog likely would not last much longer, with many areas already thinning.
Meteorologist Stephen Glassey said the front that brought heavy downpours to Northland, Auckland and Coromandel yesterday was now lying over eastern Bay of Plenty.
Fog is affecting flights at Auckland Airport this morning. Photo / file
The heaviest rain in low-lying areas yesterday fell north of Auckland, with a Warkworth station recording 71mm.
More rain was recorded at higher altitudes, with one station in the eastern Bay of Plenty ranges at 1000m recording 111mm, and one near Mt Taranaki at about 900m recording 130mm.
-Sharp but short-lived cold snaps to start. -Season as a whole looks close to average for temps. -Rainfall hedges normal-below normal for many. -El Niño still developing: non-traditional impacts. pic.twitter.com/k2QMkYxHO0
Overnight the rain eased for time, but would pick up again through the morning, Glassey said.
A heavy rain warning was in place for Bay of Plenty east of Ōpotiki, Gisborne about the ranges and from Ruatoria northwards, to 10pm tonight, with up to 150mm of rain forecast.
Today the front would remain slow moving over the eastern half of the North Island, with a low coming down on it too, Glassey said.
Rain would spread east, with heavy falls about Bay of Plenty and Gisborne, before easing this evening.
Locally heavy rainfall around Auckland last night and early this morning. Good news is that it will ease in the next 1-2 hours. Rainfall totals (mm) since midnight ➡️
Mahurangi 39.5 Great Barrier 32.5 North Shore 26.0 Motat 16.8
On Friday a low was expected to move to the east of New Zealand, with a period of heavy rain spreading from the north on to eastern parts of central New Zealand, including Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, and the Kaikōura coast and ranges.
Southwest gales could affect eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa as the low passed to the east on Friday, and there was a low chance of these gales becoming severe over southern Wairarapa, Wellington and the Kaikōura Coast.
After a brief ridge brought more settled weather for Saturday, another front was forecast to move across New Zealand late Saturday and Sunday.
This would be bringing a brief burst of heavy rain to western parts of both islands, while eastern areas would remain relatively dry.
On Sunday and Monday, an unstable and cold southwest flow would spread over New Zealand, with snow possibly lowering to around 500m over Southland and Otago.
