Rain set to ease for the weekend

The rain is set to ease today, Metservice have said. Photo/File

Rain is expected to continue today before the weather clears for the weekend - with temperatures in the late 20s.

In the last 12 hours Tauranga has had over 60 mm of rain, with the biggest downpour at 6am this morning.

Metservice meteorologist Ciaran Doolin said Metservice had recorded 20.8 mm at 6am.

"There have been other considerable falls over night, 13.4 mm were recorded at midnight. So the main period of rain has been in the last 12 hours."

There had been couple of smaller readings in the gauges yesterday but nothing as significant as this morning, he said.

Mr Doolin said the rain was set to ease today.

"The question is how quickly that happens, there is an area in the Bay of Plenty at a moderate risk of down pours although it is not likely to affect Tauranga. The main period of intense rain for Tauranga has now passed.

"Tomorrow will be fine with south east breezes and on Sunday it would be fine as well with the odd shower in the afternoon," he said.

Today and tomorrow, Tauranga would have a maximum temperature of 26C.

Sunday would have a maximum temperature of 28C.