After nearly a week of sunshine, Auckland is expected to be hit by strong winds up to 100km/h and heavy rain.
The potentially destructive gales have already descended on the Far North this morning with gales to hit the region over the coming 12 hours before sweeping across the top half of the island during the day.
MetService is warning the gusts of up to 120 km/h could topple trees and powerlines, and damage unsecured structures.
Driving is also expected to be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
A severe wind warning is in place for Auckland from this evening until about dawn on Monday.
In addition, the forecaster has issued a "severe rain watch" for Auckland tonight.
"There is a possibility that the rain could come close to warning criteria which, for example, would be something like 60mm in nine hours," MetService's Erick Brenstrum said.
"These gale-force winds, which could gust up to 100km/h, are ahead of a front which should be crossing over Auckland around midnight. That will bring north or north-easterly winds but those won't be so strong."
Brenstrum said most of the country had been enjoying four or five days of fine weather last week, with the exception of Fiordland which had seen heavy rain.
The oncoming poor weather would be followed by a southerly change, which would bring calmer weather late on Monday. This would result in colder weather in the south early in the week and in the north on Thursday or Friday, Brenstrum said.
While poor weather for much of the North Island was forecast for today, Christchurch and Dunedin were expected to be fine.
Much of the country was expected to be hit by either rain or scattered showers on Monday.
By Tuesday, Auckland was only expected to experience scattered showers, Hamilton would be cloudy and Wellington would be cloudy with the chance of showers late in the day.
The South Island is expected to be cloudy.
