MetService says there's the potential for red warnings as rainfall from the atmospheric river thrashes parts of the country for the remainder of the week.
Tonight 1News meteorologist Dan Corbett explained the rainfall forecast ahead for the westernmost parts of the North Island and upper South Island. Parts of Taranaki and Northland were forecasted to be in the firing line in the coming days.
"This is not just plain old rain. Tropical rain is like a firehose. It's in one place for a long period of time, it rains more heavily, and it just dumps."
Corbett said rainfall wouldn't ease until next week, but not before the upper South Island also got a battering in the coming days.
As of tonight, orange heavy rain warnings have been issued for Taranaki, Northland, Wellington to Horowhenua, Marlborough north of Wairau Valley, Nelson, and Tasman from Motueka eastwards.
"A significant rainfall event is affecting Aotearoa until Sunday. As this event unfolds new areas could be added to the MetService warnings, and Red Warnings could be issued," MetService said.
The forecaster said earlier today that rain would ramp up tomorrow morning in Taranaki under an orange warning but that "there is the potential to be upgraded to red."
The forecaster's red warnings are reserved for more extreme weather events. Tomorrow's impacts could include flash flooding, slips, and rapidly rising rivers.
High elevation points in Taranaki, around and about the mountain, have been told to expect up to 450mm of rain.
An orange heavy rain warning has been issued in Taranaki until 5am on Friday.
"This is a significant amount of rain, and this warning may be upgraded from orange to red in Thursday morning's issue."
In Northland, an orange heavy rain warning is in force until 3pm Thursday, with 100 to 130mm of rain expected.
For Wellington to Horowhenua, an orange warning has been issued between 9pm tonight and 9pm Thursday, with 100 to 130mm of rain expected.
An orange heavy rain warning has also been issued for Marlborough north of the Wairau Valley, along with Nelson and Tasman from Motueka eastwards. It applies from 9pm on Thursday.
"Expect 200 to 300 mm of rain about the Richmond and Bryant ranges plus the Rai Valley, and 100 to 150 mm elsewhere. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h."
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