The warning is in place from now until midnight and locals are being told to expect between 80mm to 120mm of rain, with peak intensities of 15mm to 20mm/h from this afternoon and evening.
There is also a heavy rain warning in Mt Taranaki until about 2pm, when 80mm to 120mm of rain is expected.
Snow on Porters Pass on Friday. Photo / George Heard
Peak intensities of 15mm to 25mm/h are forecast this morning and people are advised that some heavy showers or rain will be likely later this afternoon and evening.
There are heavy rain warnings as well in the Tasman west of Motueka until about 11am and the ranges of Westland, south of Otirā from now until 6pm tomorrow.
Regions in NZ which have reported no rain so far this morning:
Periods of heavy rain are on the cards there and locals can expect between 150mm to 230mm of rain, with peak intensities of 10mm to 20mm/h.
Thunderstorms are also possible from this afternoon and coastal areas may get between 70mm to 100mm of rain during that time.
Aucklanders are waking up to a day that is expected to bring periods of rain with some heavy falls that will, however, ease to showers from this afternoon.
A temperature high of 19C is forecast for the City of Sails and an overnight low of 13C.
The same conditions are forecast in the Coromandel, while the rest of the North Island is also in for rain - with some heavy falls - that will turn to showers from the afternoon.
Thunderstorms are a possibility in the west.
Those in Marlborough, Nelson, Buller and Westland are all in for rain that will turn into showers by the afternoon too. And some heavy falls and thunderstorms may also be on the cards.
Further south in Canterbury and Otago, including Clutha, periods of rain are expected to clear from this evening.
Clutha, Southland and Fiordland are expected to get periods of rain, while the Chatham Islands will see a cloudy day that will bring rain later this evening.
For those travelling in and around the Canterbury High Country south of the Rangitata River, a heavy snow warning has been issued in the area and may disrupt travel.
The warning is in place from now until about 11am.
Snow in Wanaka on Friday morning. Photo / Supplied
Lake Tekapo with heavy snow on Friday morning. Photo / Brooke Gardner
"Rain is expected to turn to snow above about 400m for a time Friday morning with some heavy falls."
The largest snow accumulations are expected above about 700m - especially about the Mackenzie Basin, the MetService said.
A blanket of frsh snow has fallen on Tekapo overnight and on Friday morning. Photo / Jennifer Guthrie
People can expect between 10cm to 15cm of snow above 700m and 5cm to 10cm down to 400m.
Ashburton Lakes in the Canterbury High Country, inland from Mt Somers on Friday morning. Photo / Layla Ensor
The Crown Range Rd is closed between Eastbourne and Cardrona due to heavy snow and an underlying layer of black ice.
