Weather: 33,000 lightning strikes in 24 hours, more thunderstorms to rock NZ at weekend

More thunderstorms are expected to rumble across northern and western parts of New Zealand this weekend after a battering that saw 33,000 lightning strikes in 24 hours.

MetService said a risk of electrical storms remained until Sunday.

“Looking into the weekend there is further risk of thunderstorms for parts of the country as we continue to see active weather systems quickly pass over the country,” MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris said.

Niwa said the “clashing of air masses in the Tasman Sea” contributed to nearly 200,000 lightning strikes across the wider Tasman region on Thursday.

An intense period of lightning activity hit northwest New Zealand yesterday. Photo / Lightning Maps

The threat of thunderstorms will continue into the weekend, some of which could be “gusty” particularly in the North Island on Saturday night.

Thunder and lightning hit Auckland just before 7pm, shocking residents with its force.

“Genuinely thought lightning had struck the house. I’ve never heard thunder that loud in my life!” one person posted to a community page.

Ferris said many parts of the country could expect northwest gales and heavy rain on Saturday.

A heavy rain warning has been issued for the Tararua Range from 6pm on Saturday to 6am on Sunday, with peak intensities of 15-20mm per hour early Sunday morning.

Civil Defence warned streams and rivers may rise rapidly.

MetService this morning issued road snowfall warnings for several South Island alpine passes, with snow showers possible above 800m.

Lewis Pass (SH7), Crown Range Rd and Milford Rd (SH94) are under a snowfall warning until 11am, with 1 to 2cm of snow expected to accumulate on the road.

The clashing of air masses in the Tasman Sea contributed to nearly *200,000 lightning strikes* in the region on Thursday! ⚡️

The threat for thunderstorms (🟡) will continue into the weekend, some of which could be gusty, particularly in the North Island on Saturday night 🌩️ pic.twitter.com/BWhzR6E1vs

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) August 29, 2024

The heaviest rain was likely to affect the west of the South Island and the headwaters of the lakes and rivers of Canterbury.

Fiordland is under a heavy rain watch from Friday night until 11am on Saturday.

Canterbury High Country is under a strong wind watch from 1am until 3pm on Saturday.

Ferris said there will be heavy rain to western areas of the South Island but rain will also spread across the North Island.

“This band of rain looks to intensify in the evening and could bring some thunderstorms in latter parts of Saturday or overnight into Sunday.

“Generally this could bring risk of thunderstorms to the northern two-thirds of the country with greatest risk for areas exposed to the west/northwest.

“Accompanying the rain will be generally blustery winds from the northwest.”

A lot of thunderstorm activity over western parts of the North Island, as an active front spreads onto the country. Keep safe out there. Check your forecast athttp://bit.ly/metservicenz pic.twitter.com/KsQylmH0cu

— MetService (@MetService) August 29, 2024

Sunday afternoon should be clear for most of the country but another band of rain could bring more unsettled weather to kick off next week, Ferris said.

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.