Bay of Plenty residents are being warned to brace for heavy rain as the remnants of Cyclone Donna move past NZ.

The MetService has issued a severe weather warning for Nelson, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Gisborne this morning.

The weather organisation is forecasting heavy rain for central parts of New Zealand.

'A front remains slow-moving over the northwest of the South Island today, then moves onto the North Island tomorrow, before moving east of New Zealand on Friday.

'A period of northerly rain is expected over much of central and northern New Zealand ahead of the front.”

The MetService says the heaviest and most prolonged rain is forecast to be about Nelson, where 200mm could accumulate about the ranges through to Thursday afternoon.

Further north, Mount Taranaki and parts of Bay of Plenty and the ranges of Gisborne may receive 150mm of rain in a 12 to 18 hour period.

'This amount of rain will cause rivers and streams to rise rapidly, and may cause surface flooding and slips.”

A severe weather watch is in place for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Waikato, Waitomo, Coromandel Peninsula, Taumarunui, Taupo, Taihape, Tararua, Wairarapa, Taranaki, Wanganui, Kapiti Horowhenua, Wellington, Marlboroough, Buller and Westland.