Heavy rain has pelted central New Zealand overnight, with severe thunderstorms possibly on the way, while rain is impacting highways between Whangārei and Northland, and on the West Coast.
MetService lifted a series of orange and yellow heavy rain alerts that were issued for large parts of the South Island this morning.
However, it said heavy rain could still fall on Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury north of the Rakaia River and in the Chatham Islands.
Central New Zealand had a soaking overnight. Wellington recorded 31mm of rain in the first five hours of Easter Monday and more heavy rain was forecast for the day.
The rain could bring flooding, slips and dangerous driving conditions, and people in those areas are advised to drive carefully, and clear drains and gutters.
A yellow severe thunderstorm watch is in place for Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupō, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Taihape, with forecasters warning the slow-moving weather system will likely bring up to 40mm an hour of rain, localised downpours, surface or flash flooding, and possibly hail.
A slip at the foot of the Brynderwyn Hills, between Northland and Auckland, was cleared by late morning Monday and both lanes were back to operating as normal.
Debris from the slip had blocked the southbound lane of State Highway One, between State Highway 12 and Artillery Road.
Whangārei District Mayor Vince Cocurullo said he understood a vehicle was hit by debris from the slip.
He was relieved the road had reopened, particularly because many people were travelling for the holiday weekend.
Last year, the road was closed for four months, due to slips.
North of Westport, overnight flooding had closed Stage Highway 67 between Hector and Mokihinui, but it was also reopened by mid-morning Monday. Buller deputy mayor Andrew Basher said there had been no flooding in Westport town and, by mid-morning, the sun had come out.
Wellington Water said wastewater had overflowed at Wellington's Moa Point, Seaview and Titahi Bay treatment plants, due to the heavy rain, with a warning to stay out of the water for 2-3 days after the heavy rain ends.
The Moa Point plant went over capacity just after 3am Monday, discharging screened water through its outlet 1.8km south off the coast of Lyall Bay.
Wastewater was also discharged into Titahi Bay at Porirua and, just after 4am Monday, the Seaview plant reached capacity and released the excess into Waiwhetū Stream, although in these two cases, the water was fully treated.
Unusual visitor arrives in Auckland garage after heavy rains
West Auckland caught another quick lashing from a belt of thunderstorms on Sunday evening, when mobile alerts were sent out.
Firefighters attended eight weather callouts, and reported flooding that affecting properties in the western suburbs of Titirangi and Green Bay.
The Mount Roskill resident said, while there was a creek nearby, the downpours only brought minor flooding onto their lawn to about ankle height, so the eel would have had to climb a 10cm rise at the door to get inside, he said.
"We leave the door open during the day sometimes, because the cats can come in and out, but it must have just decided to migrate, that it was going to migrate through the garage - unsuccessfully - and then it got spotted, before it got stuck somewhere."
Baker said they managed to pick up the slippery fish to return it to the nearby creek.
