Heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms are incoming for the top half of the North Island.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua from midnight until 5am.
According to MetService, there is a moderate risk of localised downpours of 25 to 40mm/h during the period.
Update: at 7am Tue 28th MetService New Zealand has lifted the Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Auckland, including Great...
Posted by Auckland Emergency Management on Monday 27 October 2025
Wild weather at the bottom of the North Island has already begun to wreak havoc on transport, with Air New Zealand cancelling 27 flights out of Wellington Airport.
And in the South Island, Police have reports of cars trapped at Haast Pass and Lindis Pass due to snow.
“Roads are closed in and around the areas as a result. Contractors are attempting to clear the snow to get the vehicles out.”
MetService forecaster Braydon White told the Herald rain had already begun to soak affected regions this afternoon.
“It looks like it will intensify in the next while,” he said.
“There is quite a wide risk of thunderstorms tonight and into tomorrow morning for the upper half of the North Island as the band of rain moves over.
“There are also going to be some blustery winds in the mix.”
Labour Day will feature heavy showers and thunderstorms for the North Island and heavy snow is forecast for the South Island, down to at least 500 metres.
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) October 26, 2025
Keep your eyes on the latest watches and warnings:https://t.co/BjureLSfmP pic.twitter.com/FIDBHasKi6
MetService has issued a strong wind watch and a heavy rain watch for Northland from 10pm until 5am tomorrow, with a moderate chance these will upgrade to warnings.
White said the worst of the weather would mainly affect the top of the North Island overnight.
“It does look a little bit stormy but the worst of that looks to be through the hours of darkness,” he said.
“There will still be some weather tomorrow morning for people back on the commute, but generally through the second half of Tuesday, the wet weather has moved on and the winds turn southwest.”
A heavy rain warning is already in place for the central North Island hill country from southern Waikato to Tongariro National Park until 4am tomorrow.
“Expect 50 to 80mm of rain, especially about the ranges. Thunderstorms possible [with] peak rates of 15 to 25mm/h expected tonight and overnight,” MetService said.
A heavy rain warning is also in force for Taranaki Maunga until 1am.
“Expect 100 to 150 mm of rain, with possible thunderstorms with peak rates of 20 to 30mm/h expected late afternoon and evening,” MetService said.
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has warned those travelling through northern Taranaki on parts of State Highways 3 and 4 later today to consider bringing their trip forward.
Between 60mm and 90mm of rain is forecast, with the potential for up to 130mm of rainfall. This could cause flooding and slips faster than anticipated, given higher-than-usual river levels and sodden land after earlier rainfall, NZTA Taranaki and Manawatū/Whanganui system manager Liesl Dawson said.
She urged motorists to drive to the conditions and be alert to the possibility of more flooding, slips, debris and tree branches on the road, and to keep an eye on NZTA’s Journey Planner, as short-notice closures may be a possibility.
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