UPDATED 9AM: A severe weather watch for heavy rain in the Bay of Plenty has now been lifted.

The MetService issued the watch yesterday for chance of localised heavy downpours early this morning.

Heavy rain forecast for the morning is expected to clear this evening.

While the watch has been lifted, the MetService says there is still a chance of some showers throughout the day.

Earlier:

A broad complex low over the Tasman Sea is expected to move slowly east over the upper North Island today bringing the chance of heavy rain to the Bay of Plenty.

The watch is for the possibility the trough moving through the Bay of Plenty may produce heavy rain for a time, which could cause surface flooding.

The MetService plans to remove the watch around 10am depending on how the trough tracks over the North Island.