Bay of Plenty - east of Opotiki has now been added to MetService's heavy rain warning

MetService says the region can expect up to 90 millimetres of rain from tonight which could cause streams and rivers to rise and surface flooding.

There's also heavy rain warnings for Tararua Range and Mount Taranaki.

Meanwhile Wellington is currently under a strong wind warning with severe gale northwest winds forecast to gust up to 120 kilometres an hour in exposed places.