A bolt of lightning has struck a block of flats as a fierce storm unleashing thunder and torrential rain strikes Wellington tonight.
Gale-force winds forced the closure of State Highway 2 this evening but Rimutaka Hill Rd how now reopened.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand told the Herald they responded to an alarm at a block of flats in Wellington hit by lightning.
Stuff reported a photographer saw a flash hit the flats on Hawker St, Mt Victoria.
“It was a really loud bang and flash followed by lots of alarms going off,” they said.
There was no report of damage to the building.
High winds battering Wellington this evening earlier closed the Rimutaka Hill Rd to all traffic.
However the road has now reopened, NZTA said.
“Care is still needed on the route as winds are still strong in the area. Drivers should exercise caution and drive to the conditions.”
Rain is set to fall across much of New Zealand over the weekend, with heavy showers forecast for Auckland, while gales, snow and thunderstorms lash the south.
Central and southern regions are under a swath of MetServicewarnings and watches.
Up to 20cm of snow is expected on key alpine highways in the South Island, where rain and gale watches are in force today.
Auckland faces heavy rain tomorrow, easing to showers in the afternoon and clearing by evening. A high of 15C is forecast, dropping to 10C overnight, before a mainly fine Sunday.
A heavy rain watch is in place for the eastern Bay of Plenty ranges from 3am to 3pm tomorrow, with MetService cautioning it could be upgraded.
⚡ More than 7000 lightning strikes have been detected since midnight - over 200 in just the last ten minutes!
— MetService (@MetService) September 4, 2025
⛈ Thunderstorms are producing more than 20mm/h of rain in the Canterbury headwaters, where an Orange Heavy Rain Warning is in force until 4pm this afternoon 🟠 pic.twitter.com/dVU2B8zQyQ
Wellington is under an orange strong wind warning, while the Wairarapa has a strong wind watch. Both will end by midnight.
Severe gales with gusts up to 120km/h are forecast for the capital today, and MetService said the warning could be upgraded to red, its highest level.
Severe gales are also forecast for Canterbury’s high country today.
Damage to trees, powerlines and unsecured structures is possible, MetService said. The wind could make driving difficult, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
Since midnight, more than 7000 lightning strikes have been recorded around the South Island, with thunderstorms, and rainfall of 20mm an hour in Canterbury, Metservice said.
Eastern Marlborough, south of Blenheim, is under a wind watch until 5pm today, with the chance it could be upgraded.
Southern Fiordland, Stewart Island and coastal areas of Southland, Clutha and Dunedin will be under a strong wind watch from 6pm tomorrow to 9am Sunday, with the chance of an upgrade.
A heavy rain watch is in place until 9pm today for the western and southern Tasman ranges, and the ranges of the Buller and Grey districts. A separate watch for the Westland ranges runs until 5pm.
Thunderstorms are possible in areas covered under both watches, and MetService said they may also be upgraded.
Four mountain highways have snowfall warnings in place this evening through Saturday. Arthur’s Pass (State Highway 73), the Crown Range Rd, Lewis Pass (SH7) and the Milford Rd (SH94) are under warnings from 3pm today until midnight tomorrow, with up to 20cm of snow possible.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers business, breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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