Orange warnings signal heavy rain for flood-damaged regions

MetService says significant downpours are likely for the already fragile areas of Gisborne and Hawke's Bay.

"We're expecting heavy rain for Gisborne - we're expecting another 90 to 120 millimetres on top of what's already fallen. That's mostly going to be on higher ground," meteorologist Alwyn Bakker said.

"[For] The Hawke's Bay we're also expecting higher totals - 100 to 130 (mm) about the ranges and the hills."

Gisborne's mayor is describing her district as tired and fed up with constant batterings of bad weather.

Rehette Stoltz said it is all taking its toll.

"We do not get the opportunity to work on our very fragile roading network.

"We still have whānau and communities that are cut off. We don't have the ability to ferry people and get them because the water table is so high.

"So overall, there's an emotional impact on our community."

Stoltz said the current weather is a wait-and-see-situation.

"Our community are overwhelmed because already there is so much that we have had to deal with this year.

"We will get through this as well, we always do, but please stay safe out there and if you travel, drive to the conditions."

The orange warnings are in place for today through to 6am on Sunday for Gisborne and for today and Sunday for Hawke's Bay south of State Highway 5.

In both regions MetService said rivers and streams might rise rapidly.

Motorists needed to be cautious because surface flooding and landslips were a possibility.

Niwa said the rain was being caused by a low pressure system and northern areas of the North Island as well as the upper South Island could be on the receiving end today and on Sunday.