An approaching low-pressure system will blast the upper North Island with heavy rain and strong winds, bringing the risk of surface flooding, slips and rapidly rising rivers.
Appearing on The AM Show on Monday, NIWA meteorologist Chris Brandolino warned the "short but sharp" burst of bad weather will affect Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula.
"[It's] starting after sunset tonight across the Far North then that moves south. This time tomorrow rain should be falling on the Auckland region - so there will be a wet morning commute," he told host Duncan Garner.
"And then the evening commute in the Auckland area, we'll have to watch for some heavy rainfall potentially."
MetService has issued an orange heavy rain warning for Northland.
"Rain is likely to have a significant impact for Northland where the ground is still saturated from extreme rain last month," it said on Facebook.
"Surface flooding, rapidly rising rivers and streams, slips, and hazardous driving conditions are likely. However, the forecast rainfall totals aren't looking as extreme like what Northland received midway through July.
"Some parts of Northland could get between 70 to 120mm of rain on Tuesday, compared to over 200mm which some places received on July 17."
A heavy rain watch is also in force for Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula on Tuesday.
Accompanying the heavy rain will be strong to gale-force northeasterlies and a strong wind watch is in place for Northland, Auckland, and the Coromandel Peninsula.
MetService says the Bay of Plenty and Waikato can expect heavy rain in the second half of Tuesday too.
