Waikato residents – especially those heading off on the roads early for the Easter break – are being urged to keep a watchful eye on the weather following warnings and watches issued by MetService.

“There’s a risk of heavy rain in some areas and high winds as well so people, particularly motorists, need to be aware of the potential conditions and take the necessary precautions,’ said Waikato Regional Council duty regional flood coordinator Adam Munro.

MetService has officially warned that the Coromandel is expected to face heavy rain of up to 100 millimetres in the 15 hours from 2am tomorrow.

It’s also warned that gale force winds up to 120 kilometres an hour are expected overnight in an area from north of Huntly to south of Tokoroa, and from the west coast to the Hauraki Plains in the east.

And there's a "weather watch" that there'll also be gales overnight on the Coromandel and that a formal heavy rain warning may be extended to Taupo.

“So take care on the roads, watch out for rising waterways and secure any loose items around the section if you're in gale prone areas,” said Mr Munro.

“While up to 100mm of rain for the Coromandel in a 15 hour period is relatively common people should still take care due to the possibility of localised downpours.

“And high tide is predicted for the Coromandel area around 8am Thursday, which coincides with the predicted heavy rainfall, raising further the risk of localised river flooding.

“The good news is that settled weather is forecast for the actual holiday weekend.”