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Many areas are in for wind, rain and squally thunderstorms later today as a large deepening low in the Tasman Sea moves towards New Zealand.
The MetService has put out severe weather warnings including a prediction of heavy rain from Mt Taranaki inland to Mt Ruapehu.
Severe weather forecaster Ian Miller said heavy rain was also expected to pelt the ranges of Westland, Buller, Nelson and Marlborough with dumps of up to 400mm.
He blamed a very humid northerly flow from the subtropics.
It would also be windy, with northerly gales in many parts of northern and central New Zealand this afternoon and evening, he said. "They could be severe near Cook Strait."
Mr Miller said other areas likely to be among the windiest were the headlands of Northland, around Mt Taranaki, and the hilltops of Nelson, Buller and Wellington.
He said squally thunderstorms were predicted from Northland to Taranaki, and Westland and Buller this evening.
The combination of rain and wind would make for hazardous driving and could uproot trees.
"Boaties should check their moorings."
Mr Miller said that by the end of today the heavy rain would be moving into eastern Bay of Plenty.
Weather analyst Philip Duncan said the huge low engulfed much of the Tasman Sea.
