Heavy rain is still being predicted for the Bay of Plenty today and tomorrow.

In the 15 hours between midday today and 3am tomorrow, 70-90mm of rain is little to accumulate, especially about the ranges.

Heavy rain is being forecast from 12pm to 4pm today and then again from 7pm tonight. Image: MetService.

The MetService says heavy rain is expected to be in two main periods: one from about midday to 4pm and the second from about 7pm.

'Rainfall rates may reach 20-25mm/hr for a short time, especially during Saturday afternoon,” says the weather organisation.

The last lot of heavy rain in the Bay was on Wednesday night when a thunder storm rolled across the North Island.

MetService meteorologist Rob Kerr says Tauranga got about 20mm of rain on Wednesday evening, with 15mm falling in one hour from 11pm to midnight.

'Rotorua got 30mm, but was more evenly spread, with peak intensity of 7mm in the same hour,” says Rob.

'The biggest numbers were in the Coromandel, where Golden Valley got close to 25mm in the hour before midnight.”

Rob warns a complex low rolling over the North Island today will bring gales and heavy rain to the region.

It is this low that has triggered the warnings and watches in place for many North Island regions.