Flooding is being reported in the Bay of Plenty region this evening, as a deep low brings an unsettled spell of weather to much of the country.
Fire services said they have received dozens of phone calls relating to the weather tonight, with most of the calls about houses and garages flooding in Tauranga and Waihi.
The Bay of Plenty Times is reporting that contractors, police and fire services are working to clear slips and flooding in Tauranga, including on State Highway 29 and SH30.
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Police are advising motorists to drive with care and stay off the roads in central Tauranga, the Times said.
A severe rain warning is in place for areas between the Coromandel Peninsula and northern Gisborne, western Nelson, Marlborough, South Canterbury, eastern Otago and southern Fiordland.
Waikato Regional Council is closely monitoring the river levels on the Coromandel Peninsula after up to 150 millimetres fell in the region over the last 24 hours.
MetService said the stormy conditions are the result of a deep, slow-moving low lying west of the North Island, combined with a front currently hanging over Northland.
Media and Communications Meteorologist Daniel Corbett said this "weather system will have quite a bit of punch to it, and it will linger across central and northern New Zealand for several days".
By Tuesday, the low is expected to lie west of Taranaki, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to most of the country.
The area from Napier to Christchurch is expected to bear the brunt of the low while Wellington, Palmerston North and areas of the west coast of the South Island are expected to be escape, with only light showers forecasted.
The forecaster said an active cold front will bring the risk of active thunderstorms across the northern half of the North Island on Tuesday afternoon.
MetService is forecasting severe rain warnings may be issued for eastern Otago and South Canterbury, Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty later in the week.
In Fiordland and the southern coast of the South Island, strong southeast winds should also be easing but there is still a low risk a wind warning will be needed on Tuesday.
Conditions over much of the country should remain unsettled until Friday as the low slowly moves east and weakens slightly.
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