Heavy rain has caused major travel disruption in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel with several main roads in the area closed due to flooding and slips.
State Highway Two remains closed tonight at the Athenree and Karangahake Gorges, between Paeroa and Tauranga, while a warning is in place for travel through Papamoa due to surface flooding.
Flooding has also closed State Highway 26 at Paeroa and north of Te Aroha.
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State Highway 25 between Coromandel township and Whitianga has also
been closed due to a slip.
Motorists are being urged to reduce their speed and take extra care on the road.
High winds
Further down the island, high winds have brought down trees, with debris scattered across the stretch of State Highway 57 between the township of Shannon and Opiki Road.
The winds are particularly dangerous for heavy vehicles that are vulnerable to cross winds.
Police are urging travellers to avoid the area until further
notice.
Find road closure information
here
MetService has issued a severe weather warning for the Coromandel
Peninsula, western Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne where a
slow-moving low is expected to bring heavy downpours.
Rain has eased in Northland and Auckland, and MetService has lifted the watch in these areas.
MetService meteorologist Daniel Corbett says, "it has certainly been a soggy start to the work week in many North Island places, but this should ease to more showery conditions as the week progresses."
The far south of the South Island will stay mainly dry over the next few days as this weather system stays to the north, but eastern places may see some patchy light rain by midweek.
Heavy rain is also likely for parts of Gisborne, where 140mm of rain may fall from this afternoon until tomorrow afternoon.
To find out the latest weather forecast for your area click here.