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Fresh severe weather watches have been issued for the rain-soaked north as the top of the country braces for up to 24 hours of rain later today.

A MetService meteorologist told the Herald this weather could just be a prelude to even worse weather than what was seen over the past 48 hours which inundated parts of Northland.

Auckland’s North Shore and Great Barrier Island have 15-hour heavy rain watches starting at midnight while a 24-hour heavy rain watch has been placed on the Coromandel Peninsula from midnight tonight.

Northland’s heavy rain watch will last 18 hours, starting at 6pm and follows a weekend deluge which caused widespread flooding that trapped people in communities and saw landslides ruin properties.

MetService meteorologist Alanna Burrows told the Herald the wet weather this evening is caused by a “persistent moisture-laden easterly flow” coming down from the tropics.

There is a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms in Northland before dawn tomorrow with downpours of more than 40mm/h possible, while much of Auckland faces similar conditions.

Heavy rain watches are in place across the top of the North Island, including one for 24 hours in the Coromandel. Photo / MetService

These conditions stick around into the afternoon and evening, but the thunderstorm risk expands into the Coromandel.

“The main causes of [the wet weather] are this warm, moist tropical wedge of air that we’ve got over the country at the moment and with the easterly flow it’s hitting the east of the country and condensing into rain.”

MetService's rain radar has predicted a deluge to hit the top of the country early tomorrow morning. Photo / MetService

However, Burrows told the herald there’s a chance the conditions will be “worse” than what Northland experienced over the weekend from Wednesday.

“We’ve got that low pressure system and that is expected to bring significant amounts of rain and strong winds with that,” Burrows said.

“I think from Wednesday we could see even greater amounts of rain, so at the moment we have got those yellow heavy rain watches out, but there is a moderate confidence that they’ll be upgraded to warnings on Wednesday.”

Torrential rain caused severe damage in the Far North on Saturday and Sunday, with Whangārei’s Deputy Mayor Scott McKenzie sharing pictures of Oakura Community Hall wrecked by trees from an apparent landslide.

Slip cutting off Teal Bay in Northland. Photo / Supplied

Elsewhere, lightning strikes cut power, towns were isolated by flooding and slips interrupted travel.

Floodwaters in Ōakura Bay Rd had risen to the height of letterboxes. Photos / Ayla Hawkins

Burrows said the low will pass over the North Island causing more damage on Thursday, but conditions should improve for the region beyond then.

“On Friday we should be through the worst of it and there’s a minimal risk of severe weather across the country for Friday and Saturday.”