Bursts of heavy rain are expected to hit the city this afternoon as a front moving east over the Tasman Sea crosses over.

MetService is predicting localised heavy rain in parts of the Bay of Plenty continuing on until midday tomorrow.

MetService meteorologist John Law says there is a real change in the weather today.

'We have had that dry weather through most of the week and as we head through today we see the high pressure pull away and a low pressure system move in over the country.

'It will bring in some wetter weather, some windy weather and heavy, thundery showers in the north.”
He says the Bay of Plenty will start off dry but the wetter weather will move as the day progresses.

A severe weather warning is in place for the Bay of Plenty east of Whakatane.

Later today rain is expected to become heavy in eastern Bay of Plenty and continue through to about midday tomorrow, with accumulations of 80-100mm about the ranges in a 15 hour period. People in these areas are advised that streams and rivers are likely to rise rapidly and surface flooding and slips are possible.