Moderate risk of thunderstorms for the Bay of Plenty and Taupo

The latest weather forecast says there is a moderate risk of thunderstorms bringing possible heavy rain and hail to western parts of the Bay of Plenty and Taupo today, according to the MetService.

"Daytime heating and wind convergence over inland parts of the central North Island were expected to produce a few showers during this afternoon and evening, the MetService said.

"Some of these showers are likely to be heavy and there is a broad low risk of thunderstorms from Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula area to Taihape across Bay of Plenty and Taupo to Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and the Tararua District," the MetService said.

"However about inland Waikato and Waitomo, about Taumarunui and western areas of the Bay of Plenty and Taupo the risk of thunderstorms is considered moderate.

"These thunderstorms may bring localised heavy rain of 10 to 25mm per hour and hail," the MetService forecaster said.