Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms are expected to move across the top half of the North Island on Monday as MetService issues weather watches for parts of the East Coast.
The wet wintry conditions come after residents in the Rangitikei region were forced to evacuate and significant roading networks were closed due to slips and flooding on Sunday.
And while most of the evacuated residents in the Rangitikei region have since returned to their homes, a low-pressure system moving across the top half of the North has some regions on high alert.
The low-pressure system is expected to bring heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms. MetService meteorologist Larissa Marimtchemko told Newshub "plenty of thunderstorms are flashing in the Tasman Sea".
"At the moment we already have some coastal thunderstorms about the West Coast of Northland and Auckland."
Marimtchemko said the thunderstorms are not over the land yet, but are expected to move inland late on Monday afternoon.
MetService has issued heavy rain watches along the East Coast of the North Island. Bay of Plenty from Rotorua northwards is under a heavy rain watch from 3pm Monday to 11am Tuesday.
A heavy rain watch has also been issued to Coromandel Penisula and Bay of Plenty west of Whakatane from 4pm Monday to 12pm Tuesday.
Gisborne is under a heavy rain watch from midnight Monday to midnight Tuesday, Gisbrone's Mayor Rhette Stoltz told AM her region "feels like we're in a constant state of response".
"You can appreciate we are still in a massive cleanup, there are still communities here that are devastated and have not been able to move back into their homes."
Stoltz said the latest weather watch issued by MetService feels like the region is taking "one step forward and two steps back".
"We are in a constant state of response and then also in a constant state of recovery, so our community is really hurting and you can feel it on the ground," Stoltz said.
Stoltz urged her residents to "be prepared" as the heavy rain watch comes into effect.
"Warnings like this are always of concern, as always we're asking our community to be ready."
Rangitikei region evaluates damage
Rangitikei Mayor Andy Watson told AM council officials will be assessing the damage done by Sunday's flooding.
"Looking at our roading network and finding out how many roads have been impacted with slips and that sort of damage."
Watson told AM a local river that often causes flooding to Marton and Bulls doesn't offer much warning to the region.
"The catchment is very very close to the towns, whereas the major rivers that bound our district, we have seven, eight, nine hours to prepare, this one we don't."
But Watson said his council is "used to it" and has sufficient plans in place to respond.
Watch Waton and Stoltz's full interviews above.
