Officials are closely watching river levels in the Gisborne region, with ground still saturated from last week's rain particularly in the Tolaga Bay area.

Heavy rain is expected to last until last this afternoon.

Late last night, 29 properties in Tolaga Bay were without power, and further north in Te Araroa 128 properties had their power cut after a trampoline blew into the lines.

Tairawhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management and Gisborne District Council's flood warning team says it's monitored rivers and rainfall overnight.

Response manager Paul Stuart says while the heaviest rain was predicted to be around the Raukumara Ranges, falls would still be heavy everywhere.

Peak intensities of 15 to 25 millimetres per hour are predicted with possible thunderstorms today.

Gisborne City could potentially get 50 to 100 millimetres of rain.

Gisborne's wastewater network had already flooded, prompting the opening of the emergency sewer valves to prevent sewage from overflowing back into homes and onto roads.

Southeast winds might approach severe gales at times in exposed areas through until 11am.

Torrential rain last week shut down 61 bridges, and dumped around 1,000,000 tonnes of logging debris over properties, roads and in the Tolaga Bay harbour.

Meanwhile, stormy weather is expected for much of the rest of the North Island and the top of South.

MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty including Rotorua and the Kaimai Range, Hawke's Bay, the Tararua Range and the Kaikōura Ranges.

Damaging wind gusts are likely in Bay of Plenty including Rotorua, as well as Taupo and Taihape, Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu and Kapiti-Horowhenua.

Aucklanders can also expect a wet and windy night, but no severe warning is in place.

Southeast gales up to 120 kilometres per hour are expected in the Marlborough Sounds, and up to 220 millimetres of rain in the Kaikōura Ranges.