The severe thunderstorm warning issued for the Ashburton area has now been lifted; however, a severe thunderstorm warning issued at 4.30pm for Central Otago, Waitaki and Dunedin city remains in place.
MetService said severe thunderstorms were moving towards the east-southeast and were expected to lie near Middlemarch and Clarks Junction at 5pm and near Middlemarch, Hummock and Hindon at 5.30pm.
“These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain and large hail.”
Meanwhile, Auckland commuters face a damp journey home, with “chunky” showers expected through rush hour as a large rain band comes in from the west, MetService said.
Wet conditions beginning about 2pm swere expected to continue through to about sundown, MetService meteorologist Alec Holden said.
There was also a slight chance of thunderstorms, Holden said.
No weather warnings or watches had been issued, but every Aucklander was likely to be affected – albeit to varying degrees.
“[We’ll have] showers that produce fairly heavy rainfall in some areas.”
Most of the foul weather was likely to hit between 4-7pm, Holden said.
“No flash flooding, but I think everybody’s going to see a little bit and definitely some people are going to see more than others ... [but] somewhere in that [time period] is when you’re going to see the worst of it, with some heavy cells mixed in with the showers.”
A section of a large tree fell across Great South Rd in South Auckland this afternoon.
Witness Fleur Grayson told the Herald she had been behind a red SUV when the tree fell.
“I saw it start falling and gunned it. I eased right off and pulled hard left on to the kerb/footpath,” she said.
“[It] was a massive tree, its length covered and cut off both sides of Great South Rd.”
“It was a ‘wow’ moment for sure and luckily the vehicle behind me saw and avoided me,” Grayson said.
The front was expected to move rapidly across the North Island today, MetService forecaster Juliane Bergdolt earlier told the Herald.
“We’re expecting rain to fall over central areas from Hawke’s Bay up to Auckland and Northland in the ... mid-afternoon and it’s all sort of clearing quite quickly in behind,” Bergdolt said.
Meanwhile, thunderstorms were starting to occur in the southeast of the South Island early this afternoon.
A severe thunderstorm watch was in place until 9pm, with the risk of localised heavy rain of 10-25mm/h and 5-20mm hail, MetService posted on social media.
Thunderstorms are starting to spark in the southeast of the South Island 🌩
— MetService NZ (@MetService) December 16, 2025
There is a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in place until 9pm tonight (Tuesday) for this region.
Risks also include:
· Localised heavy rain of 10 to 25 mm/h
· Hail 5 to 20 mm
For info: https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 pic.twitter.com/FBnFad1Aa7
While the heavy rain would clear for the North Island, showers were expected into tomorrow – a relief for those in dry regions.
“That rain will be welcomed for many, as recent hot and dry conditions have seen water restrictions and elevated fire risk for places like the Hawke’s Bay,” Bergdolt said.
Although summer was in full swing, daytime highs were set to plunge this week, with some places – including Wellington, Dannevirke, Ashburton, Ōamaru and Invercargill – reaching only 16C tomorrow.
During tomorrow and Thursday, many places would struggle to make it into the 20s as southwesterlies kept a lid on temperatures.
This comes after a week of sizzling temperatures, which were felt across the country as Auckland hit 28C, Napier Airport 34C and Wairoa 32C.
The cool shift was caused by the front moving over the country, MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden said.
The country was moving into a more “variable, unsettled and showery weather pattern”.
Christmas Day is nearly a week away and with the country settling into a more changeable pattern, the longer-range forecasts are likely to change in the lead-up to the big day, Lynden said.
“While it might feel like we are headed for a ‘white Christmas’ for some this week, it’s worth remembering that we’re still firmly in summer.”