Wild weather has begun in Northland, as the rest of the North Island prepares for a wet start to the week amid a subtropical low bringing heavy rain and strong winds.
MetService has issued a number of weather watches and warnings across much of the upper half of the North Island.
Heavy rain warnings are in place for Northland, Auckland from Whangaparaoa northwards, the Coromandel Peninsula and the western Bay of Plenty until Tuesday, with up to 120-160mm of rain expected in places.
In Auckland south of Whangaparaoa, MetService has issued a heavy rain watch between 5am Monday and 2pm Tuesday.
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Tasman and Marlborough will also see heavy rain at the start of the week, with rain watches in place between Monday afternoon and midday Tuesday.
Wind warnings have been issued for Northland and Auckland for Monday and Tuesday, and wind watches are in place for the Bay of Plenty, Coromandel Peninsula, Eastern Waikato and Buller.
In Auckland on Monday, MetService has said rain with heavy falls was expected with strong northeasterlies that could gust up to 110kph.
In Northland, it was expected gusts on Monday could get up to 120kph.
KEVIN STENT/Stuff
Wild weather is predicted to hit the upper North Island on Monday morning. (File photo)
The largest amount of rainfall would likely be from Northland down to East Cape, with Mount Taranaki, western Tasman and Marlborough also likely to see heavy rainfall.
Rain should ease to showers later in the week for Auckland and Northland, with next weekend shaping up to be fine apart from a few showers further North.
MetService meteorologist David Miller said the low pressure system is expected to continue moving slowly down the country throughout the week, and rainfall may reach warning criteria in parts of the South Island.
Christchurch should expect a week of rain followed by a dry weekend. Heavy rain watches and warnings may be issued for Canterbury later in the week, said Miller.
