Government forecaster MetService has now included the eastern hills of Northland in their rain warnings for tonight and early tomorrow.

MetService says that peak intensities could reach 10 to 15 mm/hr with a chance of 15 to 25 mm/hr in thunderstorms that may develop overnight.

Some WeatherWatch.co.nz readers from the northern regions of the North Island have already reported heavy rain and gusty winds.  Vicki Kenny, who is north-west of Auckland, reported receiving 7mm of rain as of 3pm today.

The other rain warnings include Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty.  At this time, it looks like the majority of the heavy rain should fall over the Bay of Plenty region.  MetService says between 120mm and 160mm of rain is possible in the warned area between now and midnight Monday with rainfall rates up to 20mm/hr possible tonight and tomorrow morning.

Heavy rain is also looking like it could make it to the East Cape/Gisborne area tomorrow afternoon.  At this time, no warning is in effect there.

As far as the rest of the North Island goes, expect showers and/or periods of rain through tomorrow.  Northland and Auckland may start to see a break in the rain late tomorrow afternoon.

The upper regions of the South Island could also see some rain tomorrow.  Some of that rain could even brush Cantabs, sinking as far south as Christchurch by late tomorrow night.

The rest of the Mainland is looking at a settled day for Monday.

By WeatherWatch Analyst Howard Joseph