A weather watch for periods of heavy rain has been put in place for the Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel.

A frontal system over the Tasman Sea is expected to move slowly east over New Zealand on Wednesday and Thursday.

Brittany Hobart standing on trough at a family farm in Ngarua.

The MetService is predicting this system to be preceded by a strong, moist northerly flow which will bring a period of heavy rain and gales to the north and west of both islands.

From Wednesday afternoon through to Thursday, heavy rain is expected in the Western Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel Peninsula.

'The front will bring rain to many areas,” says meteorologist Stephen Glassey, 'with some heavy falls in the north and west of both islands.

'However, the air won't be anywhere near as cold as last week because the winds will be coming mostly from the north-east rather than the south.

'It will be too warm for snow to fall to low levels like it did last week.”

The front is expected to clear the country on Thursday, but a low should approach New Zealand on Friday, potentially bringing a return to colder weather.