Heavy rain on the way for the Bay of Plenty as pest from the west moves on

The pest from the west has moved south, with the Bay of Plenty in the firing line for heavy rain this evening.

A heavy rain watch is in force for the area until 10pm tonight, as Metservice warns the rainfall may approach short-term warning criteria.

It follows a drenching in the upper North Island, where a heavy rain warning and a strong wind warning were in force today.

A deluge from 8am followed heavy rain overnight, with 77.6mm falling in Kerikeri, 42mm in Kaitaia, and 30mm recorded in Cape Reinga since 10pm last night.

Heavy Rain Watch issued for AUCK, BOP, CORO, GTBAR, HAWK, ROTR https://t.co/yV2fXg3shi

— Severe Weather Info (@MetServiceWARN) August 11, 2020

Northland Civil Defence spokesman Murray Soljak said the region wasn't hit as hard as expected, with peak rainfall recorded before 10am.

"A few rivers got to the point where they flooded nearby roads and then receded," he said.

"There were no road closures and no homes were under threat."

Rain + clearing skies overnight + light winds = the perfect conditions for fog to form. This is the case for parts of the upper North Island tomorrow morning with the white in the animation indicating areas at risk of fog. More info on how fog forms https://t.co/azFH3EhGhD ^AC pic.twitter.com/MiTe96prVN

— MetService (@MetService) August 11, 2020

Rivers were only slowly rising and motorists were advised to take care on the roads due to localised surface flooding.

Niwa today warned of a threat of thunderstorms leading to slips and flooding across Northland and Auckland coinciding with school pick-up and the start of rush hour.

Heavy rain hit Auckland this afternoon before pushing towards the Bay of Plenty late afternoon, Metservice forecaster Tuporo Marsters said.

Though well below the historical average for this time of the year, the drenching topped up Auckland's dam levels, currently sitting at 60 per cent according to Watercare.

Dark clouds about Auckland as an area of locally heavy rain moves in 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/Od2ybiNK13

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) August 11, 2020

Kaeo recorded the strongest wind gusts in Northland, at 124km/h, while Cape Reinga recorded 93km/h gusts this morning.

The heavy rain watch for Northland was cancelled at around 3pm, but a heavy rain watch will stay in place for Auckland and the Coromandel until 7pm tonight.

But the worst of the weather hit Northland this morning and the weakening front would tomorrow move out to the Pacific Sea, Masters said.

Meanwhile a snow warning is in place for Desert Rd, where snow showers may hamper conditions on Wednesday.

Between 9am and 2pm Wednesday, up to 1cm of snow may settle on the road near the summit, Metservice warned.