Heavy rain is predicted to continue for a number of New Zealand regions today.

The government forecaster has issued heavy rain warnings for parts of the Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, the Tararua Ranges, Nelson, the Richmond Ranges, the Marlborough Sounds, Buller, Westland, Fiordland, and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury Lakes.

The heavy rain is being generated by a large and deep low which is today rapidly developing east of Tasmania.

Heavy rain is forecast for Mt Taranaki and the Tararua Range, with 200 to 300mm expected over a 30 hour period from 6pm tonight for the upper slopes of Mt Taranaki, and 150 to 200mm from 3am to 9pm tomorrow on the Tararua Range.

Rainfalls tomorrow and Wednesday in Westland and the Southern Alps are expected to be particularly heavy, with the bulk of the 300 to 400mm of rain forecast falling tomorrow.

Gale force winds are predicted for central New Zealand.

People in the affected areas, particularly trampers and climbers, should plan for severe weather conditions tomorrow with severe gales at higher levels in the mountains, and heavy rain, particularly along the Southern Alps.

Surface flooding and slips are possible, and rivers and rivers may rise rapidly, especially those leading from the Southern Alps into Canterbury and Otago which are likely to rise quickly tomorrow following heavy rain in the Alps.

– NZHerald.co.nz, WeatherWatch.co.nz