Keep your brollies and gumboots close, buckets of rain expected

Keep your brollies and gumboots close Auckland, it's going to be "bucketing down" all weekend.

Today, weather warnings for heavy rain are in place for the lower North Island and Kaikoura coast up to the eastern Marlborough Sounds.

"Strong southerlies are pushing a lot of muck up through Cook Strait which is keeping things cloudy and quite wet and the warnings are due to the rain being fairly persistent," MetService Meteorologist Tui McInnes said.

Drivers are being advised to take extra care on the road and keep an eye out for weather warnings.

For the upper North Island, the overnight downpours are expected to continue but with a dose of dry cloudy patches, southeasterly winds and some sun at times.

"Not great for the first day of the weekend," McInnes said.

The West Coast and Central Otago regions have the luck of the draw as cloud clears in the morning and sun sticks around for the rest of the day.

McInnes said today's weather was "pretty much identical" to tomorrow's forecast, which would bring more rain for the North Island and upper South Island.

"Rain is easing off for the central areas but still continuing in the upper North Island and still fine down South," he said.

Northland, Auckland, Waikato & Bay Of Plenty

High cloud with some sun at times, a few showers about the Coromandel and Great Barrier Island in the morning then Northland from afternoon. South easterly winds.

Highs: 19-21C

Western North Island (including Central North Island)

Morning cloud with the risk of a shower then mostly sunny. Southeasterly winds, strong about coastal areas.

Highs: 16-17C

Eastern North Island

Rain, clearing around midday then becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon. Fresh southwesterlies die out later in the evening. Rain may not clear Gisborne until evening.

Highs: 14-17C

Wellington

Mostly cloudy with the odd shower, overnight rain. Breezy southerly winds.

High: 13C

Marlborough & Nelson

Sunny spells about Marlborough, Nelson is mainly sunny. East to southeasterly winds.

Highs: 14-16C

Canterbury

Morning showers then expect sunny spells for the rest of the day, southwesterly winds.
Highs: 12-13C

West Coast

Sunny, southeasterly winds die away in the morning.
Highs: 15-16C

Southland & Otago

Any morning cloud clears then mostly sunny, east to northeast winds.

Highs: 13-14C