Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is asking motorists to drive to the conditions as parts of the country are expected to be battered by heavy rain over the next few days.
Severe weather warnings have been issued for parts of the country, with areas in the North Island and upper South Island expect to be hit with some wet weather.
Despite the wet weather, some Aucklanders are on the roads headed to the beach as temperatures sit at 20 degrees.
Very warm, humid air is good fuel for thunderstorms. While they are unlikely to impact everyone it's worth checking the radar this afternoon/evening if heading out 👀 pic.twitter.com/uj2BMhzTnH
"It's pretty wet across the Auckland Motorway network right now, so please remember to drive to the conditions.
"Keep your headlights on and increase your following distance," Waka Kotahi says.
MetService Meteorologist Amy Rossiter said warm days and humid nights are set to continue as a northerly flow pulls warm, moist sub-tropical air down over the country.
Despite the wet weather some Aucklanders have headed out to Mairangi Bay. Photo / Dean Purcell
"These humid air masses are quite dynamic and can hold a lot of moisture,therefore producing significant rainfall rates. We are already seeing pulses of heavy rain affecting the upper North Island," Rossiter said.
People in Bay of Plenty are being warned of bouts of heavy rain starting from about 3pm tomorrow to 11am on Wednesday.
"Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly," MetService says.
"Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous."
Locals are told they can expect between 130mm to 180mm of rain inland and between 70mm to 100mm of rain about the coast. Peak intensities of between 15mm to 25mm/hr are forecast on Wednesday morning.
There is also a heavy rain warning in Mt Taranaki from 9pm tonight to 3pm tomorrow.
Heavy rain in some parts of the country may cause flooding. Photo / Hayden Woodward
People in the area are told there could be between 100mm to 150mm of rain in that period.
Nelson about and west of Motueka is also in for a drenching, with periods of heavy rain forecast in the 26-hour period between 8am tomorrow and 10am on Wednesday. Up to 120mm to 150mm of rain is forecast to fall in the region.
Heavy rain watches for parts of North Island
Other parts of the North Island - including Auckland - have had heavy rain watches issued.
Auckland from Whangaparāoa Peninsula northwards, including Great Barrier Island, has a watch in place from 8pm tomorrow to 5am on Wednesday.
Heavy rain incoming 🌧
A series of low pressure systems are forecast to bring pulses of heavy rain over the northern half of the country this week.
The most persistent heavy rain is expected in the Orange Warning areas but impacts are also possible in the Watch areas. pic.twitter.com/6jvlDPdm21
Other regions with a heavy rain watch now are the north and east of Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Eastern Waikato and Taupō, Gisborne north of Tokomaru Bay and from north Taranaki (except the mountain) to Waitomo and across to inland Whanganui and Taihape.
The heavy rain and increasingly humid conditions over the last few days come as a newly named Tropical Cyclone Ruby has been located over the Coral Sea.
Its latest position is about 650km northwest of New Caledonia, as of this morning, and is moving southeast.
Tropical Cyclone Ruby
WeatherWatch head weather analyst, Philip Duncan, says it is currently a category 2 strong cyclone, but has the potential to become more fierce.
It is set to head over New Caledonia and some southern parts of Vanuatu tonight, before tracking towards New Zealand, Duncan said.
By Saturday, however, weather experts expect that the cyclone's tropical characteristics will wane as it comes into contact with cooler seas.
"On Thursday, the system is expected to move southeast past the upper North Island as a deep low.
"Most outlooks suggest the system will remain offshore to the north of the North Island, but there remains some uncertainty regarding how close to New Zealand the system will come."
⚠️ Next week, an atmospheric river of moisture may flow southward into Aotearoa New Zealand, as a tropical cyclone swirls to the north 💧
There's a strong chance for a wetter than normal week across the North Island, with a risk for heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding 🌊 pic.twitter.com/pfcyakXULt
