While the weather outside is so delightful, a positive sign for New Year's Eve revellers, the future looks bleak as 2016 is predicted to get off to a rainy start.

A severe weather watch has been issued for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Waikato, Coromandel, and Bay of Plenty as a storm comes down on northern New Zealand.

Heavy rain and gales are expected as an active low pressure system to the north of New Zealand is moving slowly southwards. This system is preceded by strong to gale easterlies and brings a period of rain to northern and central New Zealand.

The heaviest falls are likely about Northland and northern Auckland, where a warning is in force.

The watch is in place for Friday, January 1 until the morning of Sunday, January 3. MetService advises people to stay up to date with forecasts as parts of this severe weather watch may be upgraded to a warning and additional areas may be added to this watch.

Meanwhile, events in the Bay are preparing for the worst. Little Big Markets is moving their Market Day to Monday, January 4 while the Gourmet Night Markets is still due to be held tomorrow (but is safely securing all stands).

Due to a very poor weather forecast this weekend, the family friendly Tauranga Interislander Summer Festival has been rescheduled from this weekend to Saturday, January 16.

However, at this stage, general racing is still scheduled for January 2.