Surface flooding is being reported around Tauranga this morning.

Heavy rain has been pummelling the region for about 30 minutes.

A SunLive reader emailed in with photos of huge flood puddles at Otumoetai Intermediate.

"My son Will got soaked to the skin dropping lunch it to the office for our Japanese student who left it at home this morning," says Trudi Waters.

The MetService is forecasting a risk of Friday afternoon thunderstorms with heavy rain from Northland down to northern Waikato, and in Taranaki, while most of the rest of the country has rain or showers to close out the week.

Saturday is looking unsettled for most of the country, but Sunday could be a nice day for many, with the forecast for the east of the South Island particularly sunny.

Some of the roughest weather on Thursday was in the centre of the country, with Nelson Airport getting 79mm of rain, Wainuiomata 48mm, Lower Hutt 42mm and Farewell Spit 41mm. Cooptown on Banks Peninsula was also wet, with nearly 62mm of rain.

MetService expects the top of the South Island to stay wet on Friday, with rain for Buller, Nelson and Marlborough, Some falls could be heavy, and – in Buller and western Nelson – thundery from afternoon.

Gisborne and Hawke's Bay look to have the best chance of staying dry on Friday, although even those areas have a chance of showers.

In Auckland, a few showers are forecast to develop during the morning, and there's a chance they could be heavy and thundery from afternoon. The temperature is expected to get to 22 degrees Celsius.

Saturday in the country's largest city is expected to have a few showers, some of which could be heavy with thunderstorms. Sunday is expected to start with rain but it's hoped those will ease.

Southerlies will keep Wellington cool on Friday, with a high of just 16C expected. Morning rain is expected to clear.

Some rain is forecast for the capital on Saturday, but hopefully not too much, while northerlies should warm things up a bit. After early showers, Sunday is forecast to be mainly fine.

Friday will be even cooler in Christchurch, where the top temperature is forecast to be just 13C, and there could be some rain.

Saturday in the South Island's main centre is expected to warm up to 19C, and rain is forecast to clear to showers in the morning. A sunny 22C is forecast for Sunday.

- Stuff