KEY POINTS:
June is set to end with a splash and trampers throughout the country have been warned to be aware of rising rivers and streams.
MetService meteorologists say it will rain throughout the country, and have issued a heavy rain warning for the ranges of northwest Nelson.
"A large low-pressure system which recently gave heavy rain to Victoria in Australia has deepened over the Tasman Sea and will be edging towards New Zealand on Friday," MetService forecaster Bob McDavitt said today.
"Its frontal rain band is being fed with moisture from the tropics and is accompanied by a strong northeasterly flow."
In the Nelson area, rain should start tomorrow and become heavy in the northwest ranges from late tomorrow afternoon to around dawn on Saturday.
Mr McDavitt said the front was also likely to bring a short sharp burst of rain to a number of districts as it crossed New Zealand during late Friday and Saturday.
"MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for Taranaki, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, northern Gisborne, northern Marlborough and Westland," he said.
"People camping or tramping in these areas will need to be on watch for rapidly rising rivers and streams."
- NZPA
