MetService is warning there will be windy conditions and possible heavy rain for parts of the North Island on Sunday, the last day of school holidays.

New Zealand’s national weather authority has issued three severe weather watches for heavy rain and strong wind, as a complex trough of low pressure affects the North Island from Sunday into Monday morning.

A few areas are likely to experience gales, with a risk that they could become severe in exposed places, and some places may experience periods of heavy rain.

The rain is expected to start at 6am on Sunday, with Wairoa District and Tairawhiti, south of Gisborne city, expected to be drenched in periods of heavy rain up until 8pm.

Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, especially about the ranges, which could spell bad news for the area already impacted by slips.

Meanwhile, MetService has also issued a strong wind watch for the top of the country – Northland north of Kaitāia – from 11am to 5pm Sunday.

The west to southwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Bay of Plenty east of Whakatane is also under a watch for strong winds, from 7pm Sunday to 9am Monday.

The southeast winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Earlier on Saturday, MetService warned of a low risk of isolated thunderstorms across the North Island, which have the potential to bring localised heavy rain.

Much of the country is experiencing a rainy and cold end to the school holidays, with Saturday and Sunday likely to be bleak on the weather front.

The North Island generally gets the worst of the rain on Saturday, according to MetService, with Kaitāia, Whangārei and Auckland experiencing isolated showers.

It’s cold in the capital, dropping to 10C in Wellington before midday, but much of the rain was over by the morning.

Much of the same story moving down into the South Island, with Christchurch and Timaru sitting just below 10C.