A messy weather pattern remains across New Zealand Friday night with the main rain band now moving through central and eastern parts of the North Island.

However behind the rain lie large bands of heavy showers (showers are defined as rain that falls within 30 minutes) and some may last longer (making it a band of rain).  Some falls may be heavy overnight along with gusty winds especially near the east coast, although they are now starting to ease.

Heavy rain will remain in eastern Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and East Cape overnight and in to Saturday morning.  As of 10:30pm Whitianga was recording the heaviest rain.

Warm weather will continue overnight with temperatures currently around 15 and 16 across the upper North Island.  The mild weather will remain until tomorrow with highs closer to 20 degree for some northern and eastern centres as a nor’west develops.

Much of tomorrow should be dry in eastern parts of the South Island with rain or showers everywhere else, rain will clear eastern parts of the North Island during the morning or afternoon with showers and winds dying out in most places nationwide by Saturday night.