Large hailstones have struck Te Atatu Peninsula in West Auckland
A significant thunderstorm cell is hovering above Auckland Airport and the Southern Motorway, WeatherWatch forecasters said.
And a huge cloud was looming over parts of the upper North Island, bringing with it hail up to the size of 20c pieces as well as thunderstorms.
But, WeatherWatch said, sunset tonight shouldbring relief from the wild weather experienced all over the region today.
Isolated heavy rain and hail began slowly sweeping through eastern Northland at 2.30pm and thunderstorms were a possibility later on, according to WeatherWatch.
In Bombay and the Hunua Ranges there had been patchy thunderstorms and hail showers.
"Today is an excellent example of 'sunshine and storms' in Auckland. Two sea breezes collide, and if the atmosphere is unstable, localised showers form, sometimes even thunderstorms.
"In between, the weather is fine; underneath these showers, localised heavy rain can fall.
"It all depends on where you live whether you'll get wet, sunshine or hail."
Earlier today clear skies brought a nippy morning, but incoming cloud and rain will bring those temperatures up.
MetService meteorologist April Clark said Aucklanders woke to a nippy 7C today because of the nice clear skies that let any heat radiate away from the land. She warned today's fine spells would move to rain throughout the week.
"For people in the city it's mainly a good day actually."
Clark said that while most of the country was fine the east coast was seeing the tail-end of some showers with Gisborne being the last to clear. Northland and the Bay of Plenty will get some isolated showers in the afternoon and evening.
"Basically it's fine and frosty for most with a few bits of cloud and a few showers on the west coast."
The capital will see a few isolated showers as you can "never trust Wellington in a southerly", Clark said. Christchurch and Dunedin will be fine with a northeasterly picking up in the afternoon and Whangarei might get a shower or two in the morning before it clears.
Image 1 of 21: Photo / Kristen Taylor
Tomorrow a front starts moving over the country from the west. It will bring showers and rain to the South Island on Tuesday evening before hitting the North Island early Wednesday morning. Clark says that it will bring a few strong winds and a showery low will follow.
"Obviously it'll be worse in the west than the east.
"Things do clear up when rain goes through so there'll be fine periods as well."
