Western and northern ranges protect Hawke's Bay from worst of storm

MetService has put Hawke's Bay under a severe thunderstorm watch, however meteorologist Tu McInnes says they are unlikely to reach coastal parts of the region.

"It really clips the western edge of Hawke's Bay."

He said the storm would possibly reach Takapau, but would then head south towards the Wairarapa.

He said Hawke's Bay should expect to see showers.

"I wouldn't be surprised to see a few showers pop up this afternoon, luckily as the evening goes on they'll disappear."

Tomorrow the temperature will rise, with Napier making it to 27C and Hastings 28C.

Despite the showery weather Hawke's Bay was one of the nicer regions in the country.

"Those ranges to the north and the west they really help to shelter things."

"That's actually the main feature which is stopping all those thunderstorms, because they are falling in the west and it's a lot harder for them to drift your way."

The rest of the country was not quite so lucky, with most of the North Island, from the south of Northland, to the Wairarapa included in the thunder storm watch.

In some places there could be downpours up 40mm/h and significant hail accumulations.

There was also a severe watch in place for Nelson Lakes and south through the central South Island to inland Otago, Clutha and the east of Southland, where downpours of 40mm/h and hail possibly larger than 20mm were forecast.

With the weather coming down from the sub-tropics, parts of the country with ranges to the north and west would see high temperatures due to the Foehn effect.

The Foehn effect occurred where an air mass released its moisture and produced heat as it passed over an area, leaving behind warm and dry air.