Source: Radio New Zealand
Flooding has been reported in some areas, while MetService has issued more thunderstorm warnings, on top of earlier forecasts of stormy, wet weather for Boxing Day.
A new severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the Clutha District.
Thunderstorms were expected to lie near Balclutha, Nugget Point, Owaka, Kaitangata, Kaka Point and Offshore Nugget Point about 6pm.The thunderstorms could be accompanied by very heavy rain, large hail and frequent lightning.
Heavy rain has been making its way up the country, and causing flooding in parts of the North Island.
MetService said Taranaki, and the town of Hāwera in particular, had been hardest hit.
Warnings issued for storms
Several weather watches were issued earlier, for thunderstorms expected for the upper North Island and southeast of the South Island.
Including severe thunderstorm watches for Christchurch, Canterbury Plains, Canterbury High Country, North Otago, Central Otago, Dunedin, Clutha and Southland from 1pm until 8pm on Friday.
Forecasters said there was the possibility of hail larger than 20mm in these areas.
“A cold unstable air-mass affects parts of the South Island today. For coastal Canterbury from the Banks Peninsula southwards, eastern Otago and Southland there is a moderate risk of thunderstorms. These storms may become severe this afternoon and evening with hail, larger than 20mm.”
MetService weather watches on Boxing Day afternoon. MetService
Meanwhile, up north, a complex trough embedded in a moist unstable air-mass was expected to move east across the upper North Island, MetService forecasters said.
They issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua from 2pm until 8pm on Friday.
And Gisborne was also under a watch from 7pm until 11pm Friday.
MetService said the downpours could bring hourly rainfall amounts of 25 to 40mm an hour.
Heavy rain watches were also issued for parts of Bay of Plenty, Taranaki Maunga, Tararua Range and Wellington.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
