More than 100 people are turning up to help remove microplastics washed ashore on Waihī Beach during the recent storm.

'We have about 120 people here,” says Surf Life Saving New Zealand Eastern Region Lifesaving Manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell. 'Lots of helpers.”

A call was put out on Monday for people to help with the clean-up.

Chaz says there are people including kids spread out all the way from the north end of the beach down to the creek.

'The beach is gridded out. And people are also all up in the dunes and working their way down to the tide mark.”

Volunteers are helping remove plastics and rubbish from Waihī Beach following Cyclone Hale. Photo: Chaz Gibbons-Campbell.

Cyclone Hale has had a devastating effect along the coastline.

'[It] churned up millions of microplastics, including nurdles,” says Chaz.

'These are strewn everywhere across the beach and in particular around the high tide mark.”

On Monday, Sustainable Waihī Beach coordinator Pip Coombes put the call out, asking for volunteers – both locals and holidaymakers - to come down to Waihī Beach and help with removing the microplastics that had washed up following Cyclone Hale.

'We really appreciate all the help," says Chaz.

Microplastics on Waihī Beach following Cyclone Hale. Photo: Supplied.

The clean-up started at 9.30am with local kaumatua providing a karakia.

Chaz says Sustainable Coastlines, Live Well Waihī Beach, Western Bay District Couincil and Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff are involved with the clean-up.

'Everyone is picking up the plastic beads by hand, placing them in giant sieves and shaking out the sand.”

Small plastic beads have washed up on Waihī Beach following Cyclone Hale. Photo: Supplied.

The Waihī Beach Surf Life Saving club have volunteers on the barbecue cooking up a sausage sizzle ready for the helpers when they finish.

It's an overcast day, with choppy sea conditions. An onshore breeze is helping keep everyone on the beach cooled down.

'There's a few swimmers and boarders in the water and the tide is on the way in,” says Chaz.

High tide is about 3.25pm today.

Kathryn and Ella Troughton cooking up a sausage sizzle for beach clean-up volunteers at the Waihī Beach Surf Life Saving club. Photo: Chaz Gibbons-Campbell.

Chaz says the expected swell has arrived but is confident that with everyone's help today, millions of plastic beads and microplastics strewn along Waihī Beach following Cyclone Hale last week will be removed ahead of the next storm.

'Even 30 minutes of people's time will make a huge difference and stop this pollution from entering the moana again.”

Volunteers are helping remove plastics and rubbish from Waihī Beach following Cyclone Hale. Photo: Chaz Gibbons-Campbell.

A series of tropical lows are continuing to form north of New Zealand.

WeatherWatch says more rain is likely in a couple of regions this week as the first low swipes the north eastern corner of the North Island.

"Rain and some wind will likely impact East Cape, Gisborne, Northern Hawke's Bay and perhaps Bay of Plenty mid to late this week - and behind it more lows are likely to form around the Coral Sea and Vanuatu," says a spokesperson for the weather organisation.

Should a tropical cyclone eventuate, it will be the second of the tropical cyclone season (November – April) following Hale.

This system is then expected to track to the southeast affecting southern Vanuatu.

It's not forecast to affect New Zealand this week, but MetService meteorologists are keeping a close eye on the situation as it develops and will have a better idea of future tracks once the system has formed.

Closer to home, a different low pressure system is expected to approach the country from the north, passing near East Cape late Wednesday and into Thursday.

Plastic rubbish has washed up on Waihī Beach following Cyclone Hale. Photo: Supplied.