The MetService has issued a severe weather watch for the Coromandel Peninsula with periods of heavy rain predicted to hit this afternoon.

A low lying northwest of the North Island is expected to move eastwards today, with an associated rainband moving south over northern New Zealand.

The MetService says the whole system should move away to the east by Friday morning.

'Rain is expected to spread southwards this afternoon, with heavy falls, and should ease overnight.

'There is the potential that in localised areas 25 to 35mm of rain could fall in two to three hours, which could cause surface flooding and make driving hazardous.”

The MetService is advising Coromandel local to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case the watch needs to be upgraded to a full warning, or other areas are added.

A severe weather warning is issued whenever there is an expectation that widespread rainfall will be greater than 50 mm within six hours, or 100 mm within 24 hours.

Warnings are also issued if widespread severe gales reach a minimum speed of 90 km/hr or frequent gusts exceeding 110 km/hr.