Flood warnings for North Island

The heavy rain forecast could cause flooding across highways, farms and low-lying areas. Photo / Thinkstock

Easter weekend travellers could get caught in road flooding as heavy downfalls settle over the North Island for the next 24 hours, WeatherWatch warns.

The rain bands, which affect most of the top half of the country, have set in today with heavy falls expected to become more frequent this afternoon and overnight.

"We'll have surface flooding, low-lying flooding and the possibility of even flash flooding," weather analyst Philip Duncan said.

The amount of rain would be enough to cause some flooding across highways, farms and low-lying areas, he said.

"It will be an extra slow journey home today and tomorrow morning for holidaymakers."

People should steer clear of streams and rivers over the next two days to avoid any flash floods, Mr Duncan said.

Larger river flooding could also happen in low-lying areas after prolonged heavy rain over the next 24 to 48 hours in the ranges.

Meanwhile, the dreary forecast is expected to stay with the North Island for the next 10 days.

The weather patterns have locked into a new position for at least the next week and a-half, which will see plenty of easterlies, clouds and rain over the North Island but fairly dry, sunny, weather over the South Island, Mr Duncan said.

The forecast was also for Taranaki to be buffeted with strong easterly winds over the next 10 days.

After today's downpour, another weaker low could bring in further wind, rain, showers and cloud for the rest of the week, while another more aggressive sub-tropical low was expected for the weekend and early next week.

The South Island should be mainly dry this week but heavy rain in the west and strong northerly winds in the east were likely to arrive next week, Mr Duncan said.

However, despite a brief cold snap heading up the South Island in the past 24 hours it was predicted most places nationwide would have temperatures above average, particularly at night, for about the next week.

- NZPA