Happy New Year - the rain is back

Holidaymakers face a sodden day over much of the North Island today and an unsettled New Year's Eve.

The MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for many parts of the North Island, and predicted as much as 150mm could fall on Eastern Bay of Plenty hills and mountains between today and tomorrow morning.

Taranaki was expected to take the overnight brunt of a cold front that dumped more than 300mm of rain on the Southern Alps between Tuesday and mid-afternoon yesterday.

Other North Island districts from the King Country to the Coromandel Peninsula can also expect up to 100mm of rain by tonight.

Although eastern areas of the South Island remained bone-dry yesterday, a German couple between Franz Josef and Haast on the West Coast woke to find powerful waves had washed their car out to sea.

Strong northeasterly gusts whipped Auckland and other northern areas yesterday in readiness for overnight rain, ending a two-day bout of rare and brilliant sunshine.

Although temperatures were several degrees higher than last week, when they were about as low as can be expected in October, forecasters warn of a gloomy year's end.

"I wish I could promise people a nice New Year's Eve but I'm afraid it will stay unsettled," said MetService forecaster Andy Downs.

Niwa principal climate scientist Jim Salinger said he expected the weather to settle into a more typical summer pattern by the end of January or early February.

Despite the forecast, Raglan Kopua Holiday Park manager Rob Clark said the two days of fine weather seemed to have lifted spirits.

The camp was almost at its 1500 capacity and some people wanting to stay on New Year's Eve had been turned away.

Mr Clark said the new public alcohol ban in Raglan, which was a magnet for trouble-makers last year, has made people more relaxed about camping.

Inspector John Kelly, the acting national road policing manager, urged motorists to keep far enough behind other vehicles in the rain, and to be extra careful if overtaking.

MetService forecasts

* Today: Rain over most of the North Island, with some heavy falls of 100-150mm in central and eastern mountain ranges.

* Tomorrow (New Year's Eve): Showers with fine intervals, mainly fine in the east of the North Island.

* Saturday (New Year's Day): Showers in many areas, with some heavy falls and possible thunder. But showers will ease in the southern South Island, and mainly fine in the eastern North Island.

* Sunday: More showers, but increasing fine spells in most areas.