It comes as heavy rain warnings and watches were scattered throughout both islands yesterday as a humid, intense weather system crossed New Zealand.
Winds were tipped to reach speeds of up to 100km/h in exposed areas of Auckland, with Niwa measuring a 109km/h gust atop the Sky Tower around 4pm.
Trees were toppled as wind gusts and pouring rain throughout the day hampered driving conditions.
Northeastern regions like Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, and Bay of Plenty were among the worst hit but the most rain fell in western areas of the South Island.
MetService forecaster Tuporo Marsters says about 90mm of rain fell in Whangarei between midnight and 6pm.
Kerikeri received 75mm, Warkworth 61mm, Whenuapai 43mm and Auckland 23mm.
However, the most rain fell in Hokitika, where 115mm was recorded.
Possible thunderstorms and northeast gales were tipped to occur in exposed places from Northland to Bay of Plenty until early today.
Fine spells are expected about Auckland tomorrow, with a few showers about in the morning. It's a similar story in nearby regions.
Elsewhere, south of Taranaki and Taihape, the rain which arrived yesterday will ease to showers this morning.
Marsters says all the action happened yesterday, with the rain band due to be gone by 5am today.
"By the time everybody wakes up the rain will be gone but there will still be a few showers in areas of the North Island and a rain front going up the South Island."
Canterbury, the Kaikoura Coast, Otago, and Southland can expect scattered showers today, along with possible thunderstorms about Otago and Canterbury.
There will be showers along the west coast of the South Island, and occasional rain in Marlborough, Nelson, and Buller.
The maximum temperature yesterday was reached along the southeast coast of the South Island, with Christchurch, Oamaru, and Timaru reaching 28C.
However, the peak summer-like temperatures are not set to continue there, with forecasts expecting a 10C to 15C drop today.
Southerlies are expected to drive periods of rainfall onto eastern regions of both islands from Sunday onwards.
There will be rain with heavy falls in the North Island before developing into showers in the north.
And there's another chance of snow falling about higher hills at first in the South Island before gradually clearing.
The combination of rain and cold air will likely see snowfall about the Southern Alps and high country regions.
Today's weather
Whangārei: Fine spells. A few showers, mainly in the morning. Northwesterlies. High 25C, Low 15C.
Auckland: Fine spells. A few showers, mainly in the morning. Northwesterlies. 23C, 15C.
Tauranga: Early rain, possibly heavy, easing to the odd shower in the morning. Strong northeasterlies turning northwesterly early morning. 25C, 14C.
Hamilton: Early rain, easing to a few showers in the morning. Northwesterlies. 23C, 13C.
New Plymouth: Early rain, easing to the odd shower as fine spells develop. Westerlies. 20C, 13C.
Napier: Early rain, clearing in the morning and fine spells increasing. Strong northerlies easing. 25C, 13C.
Wellington: Cloudy. Early rain, easing to a few morning showers. Winds turning southerly. 17C, 12C.
Christchurch: Low cloud increasing. Rain developing morning, clearing evening as southwesterlies turn northeast, but remaining cloudy. 16C, 7C.
Queenstown: Early rain, then fine spells and the odd shower, mainly morning. Light winds, westerlies developing at night. 18C, 6C.
Dunedin: Rain, easing to showers morning, clearing afternoon and becoming fine as light southwesterlies turning northeast. 13C, 9C.
Invercargill: Rain clearing in the morning and becoming fine. Southwesterly breezes. 15C, 6C.
