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

BP's PR department seems to be working harder than those trying to actually stop the leak.

Heavy rain may ruin Queen's Birthday for North Islanders with another big low barrelling out of the north Tasman Sea.

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

May was a stormy month, with more lows over the Tasman Sea and higher pressures east of the Chatham Islands whipping up more wind and rain.

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.

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.

Nine tourists have been stranded by floodwaters on State Highway 1 north of Oamaru after failing to observe warning signs earlier today.

Flood waters in Canterbury and Otago have begun to recede as heavy rain eases, but there's no respite with snow forecast for tonight.

The eastern Bay of Plenty is in for a dose of heavy rain tonight while the south gets a respite.