A severe thunderstorm watch remains in place for the Bay of Plenty this morning.

Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the region overnight, causing slips and some flooding.

In its latest weather update, MetService said rain with heavy falls is expected to affect the Bay of Plenty about and east of Kawerau and the far north of Gisborne during Wednesday morning.

The weather organisation said there is a moderate risk of downpours with rainfall intensities 25 to 40mm/h for those areas.

“Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips.

“Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.”

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Area: Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Gisborne
Period: 2hrs 30min from 7:30am - 10am Wed, 30 Jul

Rain with heavy falls is expected to affect the Bay of Plenty and the far north of Gisborne during Wednesday morning, and there is a moderate risk of… pic.twitter.com/tkiV2AyHS4

— MetService (@MetService) July 29, 2025

People in the affected areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and monitor for possible Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.

For information on preparing for and keeping safe during a storm, see the Civil Defence Get Ready website.