Weather: Heavy rain and thunderstorm watch for BoP, Coromandel

A heavy rain and thunderstorm watch is in place for parts of the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel today.

A slow-moving trough lies over the Coromandel Peninsula and is bringing periods of rain and possible thunderstorms and localised downpours.

The watch is in place for the entire Coromandel Peninsula and the far west of Bay of Plenty this morning, mainly north of Katikati, MetService said.

The watch is in place until 11am.

The remainder of the region will have a mainly fine day with a partly cloudy weekend.

Temperatures in Tauranga will reach 20C over the weekend, while Rotorua will hit 19C.

Kawerau was the warmest place in New Zealand yesterday at 25C.