Severe thunderstorms could hit the North Island this evening, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.
It is the first of several bouts of wet weather forecast for the next week, and nearly all of the country is affected.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in place for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, and Waikato from tonight.
"There is a subtropical low-pressure system sitting in the northern Tasman and that is going to sweep across the country later today for the upper North Island and then over much of the country tomorrow," MetService forecaster Ashlee Parkes said.
That could mean rainfall of 25 to 40mm per hour, which could cause surface flooding or flash flooding, especially around low-lying areas. Driving conditions could also be hazardous due to surface flooding and potential slips.