Gisborne thunderstorm brings 700 lightning strikes and heavy rain

In a word the thunder and lightning storm that hit Tairawhiti on Wednesday night was 'breathtaking'- with more than 700 lightning strikes recorded across the district. Photo / Jason Clayton

Gisborne was hit by one of the longest-running thunderstorms seen here for some time on Wednesday night.

Lightning flashes and rolling thunder lasted on and off for close to two hours.

The electrical storm started after 8pm and was still going strong across parts of the district after 10pm.

“There were more than 17,000 lightning strikes recorded over land in the North Island Wednesday night,” the MetService reported.

“The lightning network recorded around 33,000 lightning strikes in the New Zealand coastal region, which goes out roughly 60 nautical miles from the coast.”

Tairāwhiti had more than 700 strikes over land with more than 200 of them reaching the ground, according to the MetService.

“What a show - wow!!”, was how one avid storm watcher described it.

“It just seemed to go on and on, and the lightning bolts I saw were just brilliant.”

Carol Chan took this shot from her Riverdale home. More than 200 lightning strikes were recorded in Tairāwhiti during Wednesday night's wild weather.

The city received about 40 millimetres in the downpours associated with the storm.

The Gisborne airport weather station recorded 38mm in the 24 hours to 10am Thursday, with 51mm in the past week.

Other city rain gauges recorded similar amounts.

Paraone Rd 40mm and 46mm respectively, Stout St 41mm and 45mm, Waikanae 36mm and 46mm.

Parts of the East Coast experienced the fury of the storm as well.

Ruatōria recorded 28mm overnight, Raparapariki 40mm, and Pouawa 30mm.

There was also considerable storm activity in the Whareratas, with 82mm recorded.