The North Island was lashed with large amounts of rain overnight, but don't pack away the raincoat just yet as more is on the way.
Thunderstorms and heavy rain will continue in some areas today, after "significant" amounts of rainfall overnight, MetService duty forecaster Brian Mercer said.
Many areas, including Kerikeri, Hamilton, Whitianga, Taranaki and Bay of Plenty were lashed with rain overnight, including 11mm dumped in Hamilton over one hour from 9pm.
Kerikeri received 38mm over the past 24 hours, Warkworth 29mm, Whitianga 35.8mm, Hamilton 27.2mm, Stratford 69mm and Inglewood 49mm. In the Bay of Plenty, 26mm of rain fell in Rotorua, 34mm in Galatea and 22.4mm on the Kaimai Ranges.
It had also been wet in Wellington. Trentham received 49.2mm, while Kaitoke and Te Marua in the Hutt Valley copped 130mm and 144.2mm respectively.
Many listeners in Waikato lost their radio frequencies after a radio transmitter mast was blown down. Photo / Supplied
High winds also tore out a transmission pole near Cambridge, Waikato, cutting radio frequency for several MediaWorks and NZME radio stations, including Newstalk ZB, Hauraki and ZM.
It remains unclear if it was taken out by a tornado or strong winds, Mercer said.
NZME's national technology manager Anthony Crawford said crews were heading to the tower site first thing this morning, and would attempt to put up some temporary antennas.
Work would be weather dependent, he said, but "they were hoping to have something up today".
The radio transmitter mast was brought down in high winds last night. Photo / Supplied
Conditions will ease in most places today, Mercer said, but the Central North Island, including the Tararua and Hawke's Bay ranges and Taupo, Taihape and Taumarunui could expect thunderstorms, including hail.
Strong winds damaged a radio transmitter mast in Waikato. Photo / Supplied
However, most of the North Island will get a break in the weather, apart from Eastern Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and Northland where showers will continue through to tonight.
The South Island had been relatively calm apart from a few showers on the West Coast and Fiordland, but they will become more widespread today.
Southland and Central Otago will eventually clear. Fine spells are expected in areas including Dunedin.
A new front will move over the South Island tomorrow bringing rain to the West Coast and Southland.
The Eastern Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne can still expect showers and heavier falls can be expected in the Central North Island.
As the front moves up the country the temperatures will also slightly cool and winds will pick up, except in Christchurch, which will get northwesterlies. The northerlies will turn to southwesterlies overnight Thursday.
