Impassable: This Eastern Waikato farm between Paeroa & Te Aroha is deep underwater following around 250mm of rain in less than a week.  The average July rainfall in this area is about 140mm.  Photo: weatherwatch.co.nz

Rain, sometimes heavy, is forecast to fall again across much of the North Island tonight and over the next 48 hours as the deep low over the country stalls. 

The Weather Watch Centre’s animated satellite map shows the cloud clearly spiralling around the low currently over northern South Island, bringing near continuous rain to Canterbury and creating more rain clouds in the north.

Heavy rain has been falling along the Tararua ranges this afternoon and further rain could swell rivers even more.

“Heavy rain is again developing tonight over Northland, Auckland and Waikato and other areas west of the main northern divide” says the Centre.  “The rain is likely to hang around for about 12 hours in a number of areas with heavy falls returning again on Saturday”.

Another low will move into the Tasman during Friday and merge with the big low pressure system currently over New Zealand bringing with it another front for Saturday and strong to gale nor’west winds.

White caps on brown flood waters due to gale force nor’westers over this flooded Waikato farm today.  Photo:  weatherwatch.co.nz

The government’s forecaster MetService has issued further rain warnings across the North Island.  They can be found in the Weather section at www.newstalkzb.co.nz

Latest rain radar images for northern New Zealand show rain developing along the west coast from Northland to Waikato with it expected to set in tonight.

So when will the winds and rains ease?  At this stage the Weather Watch Centre is predicting conditions to improve around Tuesday or Wednesday next week.