NZ Weather Forum

Issued at: 12:51pm Friday 8 Nov 2013

Updated 12:40pm Friday to include a moderate risk of SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS for southern districts of Auckland, through inland and eastern parts of Waikato,including the Coromandel Peninsula.

Upper level temperatures remain relatively cold over the North Island during today, and conditions are likely to be favourable for the development of thunderstorms from Northland down to the central North Island high country and inland Hawkes Bay. There is a moderate to high risk of thunderstorms developing in these areas, especially during the afternoon. These thunderstorms are likely to be accompanied by localised heavy rain with intensities of 10 to 25mm per hour and hail of 10 to 20mm in diameter. Additionally, there is a moderate risk of SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS forming during the afternoon about the ranges of Gisborne and northern Hawkes Bay, across to Taupo and Tongariro National Park, and also about southern districts of Auckland, through inland and eastern parts of Waikato, including the Coromandel Peninsula. Localised downpours with rain rates of 25-35 mm/hr are likely with these SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

Additionally, there is also a low risk of isolated thunderstorms over the Wanganui hill country, the ranges of northern Manawatu and the ranges of Nelson this afternoon.

Note, thunderstorm activity is expected to decrease in most areas early Friday evening.

jamie wrote:Port Waikato storm just exploded to having green on the radar. Tim and I between morronsville and te aroha.

NZstorm wrote: That upper trough pulled out fairly quickly this afternoon, faster than midnight gfs was indicating.