Metservice warn heavy rain is expected to hit central and upper parts of the North Island early Sunday morning, while severe gales could sweep across Wellington and the Canterbury High Country.
From 2am Sunday, parts of Northland and Auckland including the Great Barrier Island can expect 12 hours of rainfall which may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly.
The downpour is expected to be even more severe in parts of the Bay of Plenty, from midday Sunday, which is not expected to ease until 2pm on Monday.
A heavy rain watch is in place for the central North Island hill country from Waitomo and North Taranaki to Tongariro National Park, Waikato, Taupo and the Coromandel Peninsula.
In Wellington and the Canterbury High Country, winds may approach the level of severe gales in exposed places.
Motorists are warned that driving may be hazardous.
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