A front moving across the South Island today and the North Island tomorrow is expected to bring heavy rain and northerly gales, putting much of the country under a raft of warnings and watches.
MetService has issued several orange wind and rain warnings and urged people to keep up to date with forecasts.
The Bay of Plenty east of Kawerau and Tairāwhiti/Gisborne north of Ruatoria are expected to receive 100 to 140mm of rain from midnight tonight to 9pm tomorrow.
100-140mm is expected at Mount Taranaki from 2pm this afternoon to 9am tomorrow morning, and Tasman around and west of Motueka can expect 70-90mm of rain until midnight tonight.
The ranges of Westland south of Otira can expect 70-100mm from noon to midnight tonight, with an extension possible if there is further rain tomorrow.
An orange strong wind warning is in place for Fiordland until 4pm today, with gusts of 130 km/h expected around the coast that could damage trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures.
Northland and Auckland are under heavy rain watches from midnight tonight until midday tomorrow, while Waikato, the Coromandel Peninsula, Taupō, and the Bay of Plenty west of Kawerau are under a heavy rain watch from 4am to 4pm tomorrow.
Thunderstorms are possible in Buller from 11am to midnight tonight, and the Bryant and Richmond ranges including the Rai Valley are under watch from 2pm today to 2am tomorrow.
The Central North Island hill country from eastern Taranaki to Taihape and northwards to Waitomo can expect a period of heavy northerly rain from 8pm tonight until noon tomorrow, and Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound is under watch from noon today until 9am tomorrow.
Rain amounts could approach warning criteria in localised areas within these districts.
Strong wind watches are in place across Tasman, Nelson, Westland and Buller during the day today, with winds possibly approaching severe gales in exposed places.
Watches for South Taranaki, Taihape, Whanganui north of the city, and the Canterbury High Country are expected to last into early tomorrow morning.
And road snowfall warnings are in place for Arthur's Pass (SH73) from 11am to 2pm today; Lindis Pass (SH8) and Crown Range Road for the same time period; and Milford Road (SH94) from 3am to 8pm tomorrow.
"People are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case any changes are made," MetService said.
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