Firefighters were called out to dozens of weather-related calls overnight and this morning across Northland, Auckland and Waikato, as heavy rain and gales lashed the top of the country.

Fire crews dealt primarily with fallen trees and power lines.

Northern fire communications centre shift manager Brent Dunn said there had been a “steady stream” of calls, with about a dozen overnight and another dozen this morning.

Meanwhile parts of west and north Auckland are still without power. Lines company Vector reported 1300 customers in West Auckland were without electricity.

But the worst area affected is Northland where 10,000 homes and businesses are without power from Albany to Tapora on the Kaipara Harbour.

The bad weather was expected to continue for the first few days of the school holidays.

Weather Watch analyst Philip Duncan said a slow-moving low weather system and its associated front from the north of the Tasman Sea would bring patchy but heavy rain and southeasterly gusts for parts of Auckland today.

The Coromandel and Bay of Plenty ranges are also likely to get rain today with up to 90mm expected by this afternoon.

Mr Duncan said the weather front had the potential to become a “significant event” for the East Coast and Hawkes Bay.

MetService is forecasting up to 250mm of rain in areas north of Gisborne and 130mm in low-lying areas until the front passes on Wednesday.

– NZHerald.co.nz, NZPA