KEY POINTS:
Rain has started to fall across much of New Zealand and according to forecasters there is a lot more to come.
Heavy rainfall warnings have been issued for the Bay of Plenty ranges, Mt Taranaki, and northern and western regions of the South Island.
Head weather analyst for The Radio Network, Philip Duncan, says the nation is in for a very wet night.
"We currently have a warm front moving in to New Zealand from the Tasman. Warm fronts tend to bring lighter rain, but tonight and tomorrow a very slow moving cold front will deliver much heavier rain."
Mr Duncan says weather.com is forecasting about 50mm for Auckland city tonight and tomorrow.
Mr Duncan says accompanying these fronts is a strong north easterly flow, caused by a deep low in Tasman.
"A blocking high out to the east and the low pushing into it is creating a big squeeze of air pressure, making some very strong winds over the North Island."
He says gales are pounding the far north, averaging over 90km/hr with winds gusting to 115km/hr. Gales are also spreading into the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland with gusts to 80km/hr.
"We are expecting winds up to 100km/hr tonight for the gulf and gusts to 80km/hr in exposed parts of Auckland City."
But the system is bringing warmer weather with it despite the cold front. Mr Duncan says highs of around 17 could be possible tomorrow north of Waikato, which means rain instead of snow for the ski fields this weekend, probably across both islands.
- NEWSTALK ZB
