A severe weather watch is in place for the region this weekend as warning amounts of rainfall are predicted for northern Hawke's Bay.
MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn said the watch ran for an 18 hour period from 6pm Saturday to 12pm Sunday and would affect Hawke's Bay north of Napier and Gisborne.
"Rainfall accumulations could approach warning amounts of 90mm in that 18 hour period so we are expecting it to be quite a rainy weekend."
Ms Flynn said it was expected the rain would first set in on Saturday morning followed by heavier rain in the evening.
"Then on Sunday there will be heavier rain in the morning and that will ease of to a few showers so a wet weekend for sure."