A big storm approaching theupper North Island is expected to bring up to 100 millimetres of rain on the region by 9am on Wednesday.
MetService says Northland will feel the brunt of the storm early on Wednesday morning.
People in Northland are preparing for the worst as the region faces its second deluge in a week. Serious flooding is likely in many areas.
Some schools around Northland have closed early, and schools in Kerikeri, Kaikohe and Ruawai have taken the extra step of announcing they will be closed on Wednesday in case flooding makes roads unsafe for school buses.
Northland Regional Council says the most serious flooding could occur in early on Wednesday morning when rising rivers coincide with the high tide.
MetService is warning that thunderstorms could bring intense rainfalls of 25 millimetres an hour early on Wednesday.
Up to 160mm of rain is expected in Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne.
MetService says the storm could be windier than previously predicted. It will pass over Northland relatively quickly, but will linger over New Zealand for the rest of the week.
It says the storm will effect most districts at some point.
