MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Northland and Auckland from 5pm until 5am tomorrow.
Localised downpours could generate rainfall rates of 25-40mm/h.
“Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips,” the MetService website said.
“Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.”
Magwala said the major danger of this kind of weather was that it can result in flash flooding.
A severe thunderstorm watch has also been issued for Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula for 12 hours from 9pm.
MetService also issued an orange heavy rain warning for the Bay of Plenty east of Ōpōtiki, where up to 90mm of rain was expected over 11 hours from 7pm.
The heavy rain watch currently sitting across the centre of the North Island from northern Taranaki to Taupō is forecast to ease from 9pm.
Road snowfall warnings have been issued for Porters Pass and Arthur’s Pass (State Highway 73) for between 11pm today and 7am tomorrow with 2cm of snow expected to settle above 800m.
MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti said: “It’ll be colder than what we’ve seen [this week], but nothing out of the ordinary for the time of year”.
Magwala said the worst of the weather would ease off the country by tomorrow.
“The cold front would already be east of us,” he said.
“There will be some possibility of heavy spots in the upper North Island, but that will clear early in the morning, mainly before dawn.”
He said there would be remaining odd showers in the Gisborne region in the morning.
“But that would be easing into light showers by the afternoon.”
