Metservice has issued heavy rain watches for Wairoa, with many parts of the North Island forecast to expect accompanying thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday.

Meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said although rainfall amounts may not reach warning criteria over widespread areas, sodden grounds mean that even lower accumulations could bring the risk of surface flooding.

While the eastern North Island holds on to some showers into Wednesday, the rest of the Island comes under the influence of a high pressure system.

”This high pressure brings a temporary clearance in weather that people in the North Island have been waiting for over a couple of weeks now. It probably won’t last long enough to fully dry the washing, but it will be a welcome break from what has been a very wet month so far,” Makgabutlane said.

That clearer weather continues for the rest of the working week, however, by Friday night the upper North Island could be visited by the odd shower once again.