More wild weather is on the way for New Zealand as another atmospheric river approaches and forecasters are warning it could bring flooding.
MetService said a "moist north to northeasterly airstream" will bring outbreaks of heavy rain to New Zealand this week.
While lots of the weather warnings and watches are for the North Island, the South Island will still be in the firing line, with NIWA warning the rain will focus on the west of the island, especially about the ranges before shifting north on Wednesday afternoon.
NIWA warns some South Island places will see a "month's worth of rainfall" in just 36 hours.
"Good chance" of flooding this week
NIWA meteorologist Seth Carrier warned another "atmospheric river" is on the way to New Zealand, which will bring more heavy rain.
"As we go into Wednesday night and Thursday in particular, another atmospheric river is going to take shape and that is going to bring more very heavy rain down towards New Zealand," Carrier said.
"Exactly where this band sets up will play a big role in who gets the heaviest rainfall and where any flooding may occur. Currently, it appears the heaviest rain may affect Northland and then staying just offshore to the west of Auckland but also affecting places like Taranaki, Manawatu, Whanganui and maybe Wellington and down into the top of the South Island."
Carrier warns the new band of bad weather will bring heavy rain and also the chance of flooding for some areas.
"As we go into Wednesday night and Thursday, I do think some very heavy rain is likely to affect the western portions of the North Island and maybe the top of the South Island and unfortunately I do think there is a good chance that flooding could occur in these areas," he said.
Auckland back in the firing line
MetService said Auckland can expect a few showers and fog on Tuesday but overall it will be a fine day before the city is back in the firing line on Wednesday with more heavy rain to end the week.
"For Auckland, Waikato, Waitomo, the central high country, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and the far north of Gisborne, there is moderate confidence of heavy rain on Wednesday and low confidence on Thursday,” MetService said.
"MetService is keeping a close eye on this rain band, but there is still some uncertainty surrounding the details of when and where the heaviest rain will fall later this week," MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan said.
"Kiwis should keep an eye on updates to the MetService Severe Weather Warnings as the situation evolves."
MetService weather warnings and watches
This has seen MetService update its weather warnings and watches, with the forecaster warning Northland will see a further 55 hours of rain from 6am on Wednesday to 1pm on Friday.
MetService has also issued orange heavy rain warnings for Bay of Plenty east of Te Kaha and Gisborne north of Tokomaru Bay, until 1am on Wednesday, with the area expected to see around 150mm of rain.
A heavy rain warning is also in place for Tasman northwest of Motueka until 8pm on Tuesday, with a further 60mm of rain, in addition to what has already fallen expected. MetService also said the warning will likely be extended with heavy rain predicted on Wednesday and Thursday.
Heavy rain is also on the way for Westland south of Otira, with a warning in place until 6am Thursday, with MetService warning locals should expect 150mm of rain with a peak rate up to 35mm/h and the chance of possible thunderstorms.
Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound is also in the firing line with a heavy rain warning in place until 10pm on Wednesday, with 300mm of rain expected with peak rates of 30mm/h and possible thunderstorms.
A heavy rain watch has also been issued for the Bay of Plenty from Rotorua to Te Kaha, until 3pm Wednesday, Taranaki, about and north of the mountain, from 2pm Wednesday through to 2pm on Friday and the Tongariro National Park from 3am on Wednesday through to the same time on Thursday.
Buller, south of Karamea, is also in for a long week of bad weather, with 66 hours of rainfall already underway and predicted to last until early Friday.
A strong wind watch has also been issued for Westland south of Fox Glacier, and Fiordland north of George Sound until 2pm on Tuesday.
These fresh weather warnings and watches come after large parts of the North Island were hit by heavy rain.
MetService said from Sunday morning through until 12pm on Monday, 278mm of rain was recorded at Pinnacles Hut in the Coromandel Range, with lesser amounts along the coast (59mm at Whitianga Airport).
The highest amount recorded in Northland during this time was at Kaikohe with 227mm, while several other stations recorded 100-150mm. Auckland city saw 40-50mm of rainfall during this time period, according to MetService.
