Heavy rain is expected for parts of the North Island today. Photo / Supplied / MetService
Parts of already vulnerable regions are expected to see more heavy rain today.
A heavy rain warning is in force for Gisborne from Tolaga Bay upwards, while watches are in place for Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.
"It's still happening and there's more to come unfortunately," MetService head of communications Lisa Murray told Morning Report.
Murray said it was "slightly different" to the broad scale of rain North Island residents had seen lately, where some areas within a region would get nothing, while other areas would get a lot.
The radar was showing that areas such as the east of Coromandel, Manukau and Beachlands in Auckland, Bay of Plenty and the northern part of Gisborne could expect rain.
The heaviest falls were offshore as of 6am, Murray said, and there was also a concern for thunderstorms from Northland to Taupō.
Waikura Valley in Gisborne had recorded 43 millimetres of rain overnight, a "decent amount of rain given their current circumstances of being so vulnerable at the moment", Murray said.
Murray told Morning Report she was "confident" a tropical cyclone in the pacific would be named in the next 12-24 hours, but there was no certainty of where it was going to go.
Models were showing it going to the north-east of New Zealand and not hitting anything like Cyclone Gabrielle, she said.
However, large swells in the north and wind might be experienced, she said.
Murray said it was not unusual to see tropical cyclones this time of year, but climate change meant warmer air held more moisture.
This led to cyclones dumping more rain.
"When it gets here, winds are stronger, rains are heavier. It packs more of a punch," she said.
The country was of "two halves" currently, with the South Island begging for more rain while the North Island was wanting it to stop.
But there was some good news coming eventually for the North Island, Murray said.
"Weather is made up of lows and highs and there will be a high coming on the horizon."
-RNZ