Parents and children are in for a wet start to the school holidays as heavy rain and strong winds will batter parts of the country this week.

MetService said a large weather system is looking to set up camp just west of the country on Tuesday and would bring heavy rain to the upper North Island.

Meterologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane, told Midday Report, Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel were likely to be the first hit, with the wild weather extending to Bay of Plenty and Gisborne as the week progressed.

Parts of the South Island including Buller into Tasman and Nelson would also be affected, she said.

For anyone looking to escape being stuck inside over Easter, the best place to be would be Southland, Makgabutlane said, which would be "a little more on the dry side".

The South Island was experiencing a cold snap, she said, and much colder weather was expected on Tuesday, but Easter weekend would be on the warmer side.

"So towards the end of the week we can expect warmer nights and days.

"It's a bit of weather bingo at the moment".

From Wednesday, Northland, Auckland and Coromandel will be under a strong wind watch and a heavy rain watch.

MetService said the worst of the weather for the North Island could be expected on Thursday.

"With plenty of travellers on the road over the Easter Break, people should be extra cautious and keep a close eye on the forecast, particularly with the exodus from Auckland lining up with the most significant weather," MetService said.

People were advised to clear gutters and drains and trim back branches on trees along with securing any loose objects.

The windy and rainy conditions were expected to continue into next week.