Severe gales and heavy rain continue to hammer the Bay of Plenty today with weather warnings still in place for the region.

However, currently there are no reports of road closures or power outages around the area.

Heavy rain and strong winds will continue to rip through the region today, but the MetSerice expects heavy rain to ease this afternoon.

The MetService is predicted a deep low lying west of the North Island to move over the country tomorrow.

'Associated fronts are expected to move across northern and central New Zealand Monday night and during Tuesday.

'These fronts are preceded by strong to gale easterly winds, with outbreaks of heavy rain expected about northern and central parts of the North Island and the upper South Island.”

The heaviest falls of rain were forecast for the Kaimai Range and Bay of Plenty west of Whakatane where a further 110mm of rain is expected overnight about the Kaimai Range and western Bay of Plenty.

The MetService expects heavy rain about the Kaimai Range, Bay of Plenty west of Whakatane, and Waikato is expected to ease early this afternoon, although a further 90mm is still likely about the Kaimai Range and western Bay of Plenty this morning.

Heavy rain is expected to ease this afternoon.

In the 6 hours from 9am to 3pm today, people are being warned to expect a further 60 to 90mm of rain to accumulate on top of what has already fallen. Peak intensities of 15 to 25mm/hr.