A severe weather watch is in place for the Bay of Plenty as a front is expected to cross the North Island tomorrow, preceded by heavy thundery rain and northerly gales.

A heavy rainfall warning is in force for Westland, Buller, the ranges of Nelson and western Marlborough, the Tararua Range, Mt Taranaki, the headwaters of the Whanganui River and Ruapehu, says the MetService.

A severe gale warning is in force for Wellington, Wairarapa and Marlborough.

This watch is for the possibility that heavy rain may approach warning levels over the following areas: Marlborough Sounds and the North Canterbury high country close to the main divide from this evening through to Tuesday morning. Eastern Bay of Plenty from Tuesday afternoon and evening.

The expected rain is a continuation from what the country saw on the weekend, when parts of Wellington saw nearly a month's worth of rain in a single day, causing slips and disrupting travel.

Average November rainfall for Kelburn since 1928 is 88.3mm, whereas Saturday 84.4mm fell in 24 hours, the wettest day of the year (measured midnight to midnight).

The Kelburn monthly total so far of 158mm is already the 12th wettest November on record, with over two weeks left to go.

'The good news is rainfall amounts look set to return to normal for the rest of the month,” says MetService meteorologist Tom Adams, 'although the 1965 record of 226mm is still within grasp.”

Other centres also saw heavy rain, with places in Golden Bay, Taranaki and south Wairarapa also receiving over 50mm in 24 hours.

Tonight's weather does not paint a luminous picture for lunar observers hoping to spot the full moon at its closest approach since 1948, unofficially referred to as a ‘supermoon'.

Aside from the warning-level wind and rain, the warm, moist air will blanket much of the sky with cloud.

Eastern areas, especially Gisborne and northern Canterbury have the best chance of a break in the cloud.

The nights either side of the supermoon the skies look considerably clearer, with good opportunities for celestial observers both tonight and Tuesday night, when the moon will be less than one per cent further away.