MetService is warning that heavy rain and strong winds will affect the upper North Island on Tuesday.

MetService Meteorologist Stephen Glassey explains, “A low pressure system deepens west of Northland on Tuesday, dragging down moisture-laden air from the subtropics, which increases the potential for heavy rain.”

Rain is forecast to become heavy in Northland early Tuesday morning before moving further south into other parts of the North Island.

MetService has issued an Orange Heavy Rain Warning for Northland. Rain is likely to have a significant impact for Northland where the ground is still saturated from extreme rain last month. Surface flooding, rapidly rising rivers and streams, slips, and hazardous driving conditions are likely. However, the rainfall totals won’t be anywhere near what Northland received on July 17.

“Some parts of Northland could get between 70 to 120mm of rain on Tuesday, compared to over 200mm which some places received on July 17,” says Glassey.

Heavy rain also moves into Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula on Tuesday where a Heavy Rain Watch is in force. Bay of Plenty and Waikato can expect heavy rain in the second half of Tuesday too.

Accompanying the heavy rain will be strong to gale force northeasterlies and MetService has issued a Strong Wind Watch for Northland, Auckland, and Coromandel Peninsula. All warning information can be found at http://bit.ly/AllWarnings.

In contrast to much of the North Island, the weather in the South Island is looking predominantly fine on Tuesday apart from a few showers in the far south.

Looking ahead to Wednesday, the rain in the north should have eased to showers for most places as the low moves to the east. However, Hawke’s Bay may see heavy rain for a time at the tail end of the weather system.

The rest of the week sees a cold southerly move north over New Zealand during Thursday and Friday bringing showers to eastern areas, before a ridge of high pressure moves onto the country this weekend.