Auckland motorists have been warned of sudden, isolated hailstorms, like this one in New Lynn. / Supplied by Mohammed Shahid.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been lifted for Aucklanders after hundreds of forked lightning strikes across the city.
Earlier today residents were warned to stay indoors if they heard thunder. Nearly 600 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were recorded by MetService from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.
A severe thunderstorm watch was originally in place for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula and Waikato.
Ally Bach, duty manager at the Honey Centre in Warkworth, said torrential rain caused the roof to cave in, and water came flooding into the building.
Heavy hail fell in Bombay Hills, south of Auckland today. Photo / Ruth Agnew
Parts of Auckland were battered by heavy downpours and hail while motorists had also been warned to take care on the roads in the wet conditions.
Light opposing winds from the eastern and western coastlines helped fuel the downpours and thunderstorms today.
WeatherWatch said it couldn't rule out further stormy weather across the Auckland region, but entire suburbs would remain dry and miss out on the dramatic weather.
Earlier Niwa recorded active lightning in Whenuapai, with 17 strikes in five minutes at 11.30am. Pukekohe to south of Clevedon was also experiencing a rapid increase in cloud-to-ground lightning, with 27 strike in five minutes.
A ridge of high pressure continues to cover the country over the next couple of days with just a few showers in the North Island expected.
But it's Central Otago where the temperatures are set be the warmest, with Alexandra reaching 21C today and then peaking at 25C tomorrow and Thursday.
Lightning forks to the ground in Wainui near Orewa. Photo / Emily Johnston
MetService duty forecaster Philippa Murdoch said most of the country would see a few showers, but they should only be fleeting today and possibly a bit heavier tomorrow.
"We do have a big ridge over the country over the next couple of days and that should be reasonably settled weather. People will see some cloud in the afternoon and evening, and there could be showers in inland areas in the afternoon."
Those areas include the Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury ranges, the Central North Island and Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
However, the Far North and Coromandel could also get a few showers as a trough clips the top of the country.
Tomorrow, the ridge continues to linger with the showers likely to get heavier.
As for later in the week, there is a low developing in the north that looks set to move south. However, Murdoch said it was too early to know how much it impact it would have and whether it would continue to move south or shoot across to the east.
