A miserable start to the weekend for most of the country

MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for the Bay of Plenty - with downpours of up to 110 millimetres.

It's also put in place severe thunderstorm watches for Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Canterbury Plains and High Country, as well as North and Central Otago.

Meteorologist Ngaire Wotherspoon says they're expecting rain and showers for the rest of the country.