MetService warns heavy rain and downpours were still on the cards for the area as an active low moves over the country from the west.
Conditions should ease somewhat in the following couple of days but will not return fully to the settled summer weather everyone’s hoping for, MetService said.
Bay of Plenty and Rotorua are under an orange heavy rain warning until 11am Friday.
“Many areas in the North Island have broadscale heavy rain today, but on top of that, those areas also have the risk of localised shorter-lived downpours,” MetService meteorologist Katie Lyons said.
“Both of these can cause flooding, with the downpours often tipping it over the edge.
“While the action dies down over the next couple of days, unfortunately it’s not beautiful, hot, clear-skied summer weather, Lyons said.
After the warmer temperatures last week, the coming days will feel much chillier, particularly around New Zealand’s eastern coasts.
Maximums for Napier and Gisborne will struggle to reach 20°C from Saturday, with Canterbury maximums sitting around 15°C.
“Peering ahead for Wellington Anniversary Day, Kāpiti and Horowhenua up through Whanganui look to be sunnier than Wellington itself, so a road trip and beach day may be on the cards for Monday,” Lyons said.