Weather forecast: Heavy rain warning ahead of long weekend

Heavy rain will hit holiday hotspots and create hazardous driving conditions this weekend - but at least there won't be any fog.

Dozens of Auckland flights were delayed for the first day of winter as a blanket of persistent fog covered Auckland Thursday morning.

High ground moisture levels have contributed to foggier-than-normal days for the region, Metservice meteorologist Josh Griffin said.

Severe Weather Watch issued for NTHLD, AUCK, CORO https://t.co/t67HsWQSQl

— Severe Weather Info (@MetServiceWARN) June 1, 2017

But fog is not forecast for Queen's Birthday Weekend thanks to a low moving north of the country bringing windy conditions and "moving things around" too much for it to form.

Unfortunately the low will send bands of heavy rain spiralling into the path of drivers heading away for Queen's Birthday Weekend, Griffin said.

Severe rain warnings were in place between Kawakawa in the Bay of Islands and Orewa, north of Auckland, with up to 90mm expected between 8am through until 11pm today (Friday). That could include possible intensities up to 30mm per hour.

Heavy rain watches are also in place for the rest of Northland and Auckland as well as the Coromandel Peninsula through till Saturday evening.

Flooding is a possibility, Griffin warned. "People should watch out for rapidly rising rivers and streams, surface flooding and small slips. There will be more people on the roads for the long weekend as well, which combined with the rain will be a bit of a hassle."

It will be a soggy start to the first Lions game in Whangarei although it's hoped the rain will have eased to showers by Saturday night's kickoff.

By Monday periods of rain will be more in the east and south of the North Island as the low moves off to the northeast of the country, he said.

Chillier temperatures are also expected for the North Island late in the weekend as a cold front moves up from the south.

But apart from the heavy rain the weather is reasonable for June, Griffin said. "It's really business as usual for this time of year."