With tropical cyclone Gabrielle forecast to approach the country early next week, MetService is issuing heavy rain watches for areas which may be impacted.

The heavy rain watches include Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel Peninsula, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay.

For the Coromandel Peninsula, a period of significant rain is possible from Sunday through to Tuesday. The heavy rain watch is in place from 10am, Sunday February 12 to 3pm Tuesday February 14.

The full list of heavy rain watches and strong wind watches are available at the bottom of this story.

Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle is located in the Coral Sea and is expected to move southeast towards New Zealand in the coming days. We expect to see impacts from this cyclone from Sunday starting in the north and spreading to other parts of northern and central New Zealand early next week.

This could be a widespread and significant weather event for central and northern parts of New Zealand. The severity of the weather and the areas affected is highly dependent on the track of Cyclone Gabrielle.

It is important to keep up to date with the latest Metservice forecasts as parts or all of these Watches may be upgraded to Warnings, and further areas will likely be added.

Heavy rain watch areas:

Area: Northland, and Auckland including Great Barrier Island
Valid: 59 hours from 1:00am Sun 12 Feb to 12:00pm Tue 14 Feb
Forecast: A period of significant heavy rain is possible from Sunday through to Tuesday, and rainfall amounts may reach 200 to 300 mm or more during this time. Note, the duration of the event and the amount of rain forecast is highly dependent on the track of Cyclone Gabrielle, and this Watch could be upgraded to an Orange or possibly Red warning in the coming days.

Area: Coromandel Peninsula
Valid: 53 hours from 10:00am Sun 12 Feb to 3:00pm Tue 14 Feb
Forecast: A period of significant heavy rain is possible from Sunday through to Tuesday. Rainfall amounts may reach 200 to 400 mm or more during this time, especially about the ranges. Note, the duration of the event and the amount of rain forecast is highly dependent on the track of Cyclone Gabrielle, and this Watch could be upgraded to an Orange or possibly Red warning in the coming days.

Area: Gisborne
Valid: 45 hours from 3:00pm Sun 12 Feb to 12:00pm Tue 14 Feb
Forecast: A period of significant heavy rain is possible from Sunday through to Tuesday. Rainfall amounts may reach 200 to 400 mm or more during this time, especially about the ranges. Note, the duration of the event and the amount of rain forecast is highly dependent on the track of Cyclone Gabrielle, and this Watch could be upgraded to an Orange or possibly Red warning in the coming days.

Area: Hawke's Bay
Valid: 48 hours from 6:00am Mon 13 Feb to 6:00am Wed 15 Feb
Forecast: A period of significant heavy rain is possible from Monday through to early Wednesday. Rainfall amounts may reach 200 to 400 mm or more during this time, especially about the ranges. Note, the duration of the event and the amount of rain forecast is highly dependent on the track of Cyclone Gabrielle, and this Watch could be upgraded to an Orange or possibly Red warning in the coming days.

Strong wind watch areas:

Area: Northland, and Auckland north of Whangaparaoa including Great Barrier Island
Valid: 60 hours from 12:00pm Sun 12 Feb to 12:00am Wed 15 Feb
Forecast: A period of severe gales and damaging winds is possible from Sunday through to Tuesday. The winds should initially be from the east to southeast until Monday when the winds are forecast to change to the south or southwest. The duration of the event and the strength of the wind is highly dependent on the track of Cyclone Gabrielle. This Watch could be upgraded to an Orange or possibly Red warning in the coming days.

Area: Auckland from Whangaparaoa southwards, and Coromandel Peninsula
Valid: 54 hours from 6:00pm Sun 12 Feb to 12:00am Wed 15 Feb
Forecast: A period of severe gales and damaging winds is possible from Sunday through to Tuesday. The winds should initially be from the east to southeast until late Monday or early Tuesday when the winds should change to the south or southwest. The duration of the event and the strength of the wind is highly dependent on the track of Cyclone Gabrielle. This Watch could be upgraded to an Orange or possibly Red warning in the coming days.

For the latest Tauranga forecast, click here.