Farmers in parched regions of the country say the rain that has fallen over the past 24 hours is a small reprieve - but it's no drought breaker.
The rain was too patchy to make a real difference.
MetService said a complex low pressure system is likely to hit central New Zealand on Sunday.
A heavy rain warning has been issued for the Nelson area west of Motueka.
Some regions recorded morning temperatures below zero.
The cyclone is the equivalent of a category-3 hurricane.
The news will be particularly tough to hear for those in Hawke's Bay.
The first full week of alert level 2 will have fine weather across the country.
Thursday morning was a cold one for much of the country, but particularly the North Island.
