Firefighters are responding to calls for help after a tornado in the Tasman District near Nelson earlier on Monday afternoon.

The tornado swept through about 1.20pm - which is about 16 hours after another tornado caused damage to properties in East Auckland on Sunday night.

Fire and Emergency NZ says about 12 houses either had lifted roofs or have lost their roofs entirely, mostly in the Upper Moutere area.

A tree fell onto a car with a person inside in Māpua, but they escaped with minor abrasions.

There have also been reports of a tree falling onto power lines and a tree falling across a driveway.

Warnings and watches are in place for heavy rain and strong winds for parts of central and southern New Zealand as a large and complex trough continues to bring unsettled weather to the country.

Taranaki, Nelson, Marlborough and Westland were under orange heavy rain warnings.

MetService says another 40 to 60 millimetres of rain was expected in Taranaki until 3pm, with thunderstorms possible.

A similar amount of rain was likely for Marlborough and Nelson until 6pm.

Westland's rain warning was valid until 11pm on Tuesday.

"Vigorous thunderstorms are currently moving onto the Kāpiti Coast, and we're received reports of 10mm diameter hail," MetService tweeted just after 3pm.

Waka Kotahi was urging holidaymakers returning home over the long weekend to drive to the conditions and be aware they will inevitably face some delays with temporary traffic management and lower speed restrictions in some areas.

Dozens of homes damaged in East Auckland after Sunday night tornado

A tornado destroyed the roof and uprooted a large palm tree at this property on Attymon Lane, East Tāmaki, Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Matthew Theunissen.

In East Auckland, trees snapped and at least 51 homes were damaged as extreme winds powered through Golflands to East Tāmaki, including Tamaki Heights, Flatbush and Huntington Park about 9pm.

Auckland Emergency Management says emergency crews responded quickly to help East Tāmaki residents with property damage.

The organisation warned that weather conditions on Monday could cause more tornadoes although it said it was hard to pick where a tornado might occur.

The best way to prepare is by sheltering in downstairs areas, under something sturdy and covered with a blanket or mattress, it says.

If a torando does occur, anyone who is outside should lay flat in a gully or low spot and protect their head with an object or their arms, while motorists and their passengers are advised to pull over and seek shelter in a low spot that is not under or near the car.

A tree dangles over Te Irirangi Road in Auckland's East Tāmaki following a tornado. Photo: RNZ / Felix Walton.

Civil Defence duty controller Mace Ward says a Civil Defence centre in the Howick Leisure Centre that was set up on Sunday night will stay open, but nobody has needed it so far.

Building inspection teams have been visiting the area on Monday and residents are advised to take photos of damage for insurance claims.

Fire and Emergency incident controller David McKeown says fire crews responded to about 50 requests for assistance and deployed special vehicles with salvage equipment to the area.

Some properties lost tiles from roofs, and windows were damaged by falling trees.

No-one has been reported as injured, says McKeown.

Properties are damaged and trees are down following a tornado that ripped through Auckland's East Tāmaki on 9 April. Photo: RNZ / Felix Walton.

Two siblings were out in East Tāmaki on Monday, helping their grandfather clean up.

"I'm just here helping my poppa fix his fence and a bit of other damage he has had on his house. He gave me a ring about 9.30 saying he needs a hand tomorrow, a tornado has ripped through.

"His fence is down and some other stuff. It could've been a lot worse, seems like it's been worse in other places."

Erne Crescent, East Tamaki, pictured in the wake of Easter Sunday's tornado. Photo: RNZ / Matthew Theunissen.

A local resident says the tornado was "frightening".

"It's just a few seconds, not shaking, but the wind, I've never experienced before.

"My cats were jumping around, they got freaked out."

No-one has been reported injured following the tornado. Photo: RNZ / Felix Walton.

-RNZ.