Waterlogged North Island areas won't get an immediate reprieve as forecasters warn of more "wet events".

Swollen Bay of Plenty rivers could burst their banks tonight as the rain-battered region braces for more surface flooding.

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence officials are on flood alert, urging people to be prepared for heavy rain during the weekend.

The big wet is about to get bigger, wetter ... and windier, bringing a bleak weekend to most parts of the country.

A freak tornado has ripped off a shed roof, flinging it almost 100m, while leaving almost everything else untouched.

The rain Aucklanders have copped today is likely to ease for a relatively fine but cool weekend.

Three East Coast families will remain isolated for at least another day after their only road access was washed away by heavy rain yesterday.

Drivers are being urged to take extra care on the roads after two cars became stranded in Coromandel floodwaters this morning.

Firefighters were called out to dozens of weather-related calls overnight and this morning, as heavy rain and gales lashed the top of the country.

Auckland boaties are being warned to check their moorings as the MetService issues a severe weather outlook, with gale force winds on the way tomorrow.

"I have this absolute fear of nuclear energy. Whenever I've been overseas and driven near a nuclear reactor I've been worried. But I can't really explain why," writes Philip Duncan.

The unsettled and relatively mild weather is continuing across New Zealand this week with more severe weather in the forecast, writes Philip Duncan.

This week is literally ending on a high, but all is about to change as the weather reminds us that winter isn’t all about frosty mornings and beautiful blue dome days.

Grey skies are expected to turn to sunshine this week as a high bigger than Australia settles over NZ.

Queens Birthday weekend is almost upon us and the forecast, predictably, looks changeable.

Rapidly rising floodwaters last night forced Bay of Plenty residents from their homes and trapped motorists.

Heavy rain has caused widespread flooding in Auckland, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty with one family trapped in their car having to be rescued by firefighters.

The rain has stopped falling in flood stricken Otago and Hawkes Bay, but the regions face a big, expensive cleanup.

A large landslip swept through a campground where up to 42 people were sleeping in flood-stricken Central Otago early today.

Further flooding is possible for the South Island's sodden Waitaki district, where 1000 people remain without drinking water.