MetService Heather Keats with the weekend weather outlook for your region. A burst of heavy rain is set to hit the central North Island overnight with the possibility of thunderstorms. MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui and Taupō with heavy downpours expected between 1am and 8am Monday and possible thunderstorms. There is a low risk of localised downpours, with rainfall rates ranging between 25-35mm per hour. Meteorologist Silvia Martino said while there might not be a large accumulation of rain, the central North Island may see very heavy rain in a short span of time.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 28, 2026 23:21 UTC