Thunderstorms hit Rotorua

A large thunderstorm moving down the North Island has reached Rotorua.

The thunderstorm with heavy rain and lightning hit Auckland earlier this afternoon and has now reached Rotorua.

A severe weather warning for other parts of the North Island including Rotorua and Taupo is already in place.

A tornado has also hit parts of Auckland.

MetService issued a warning that the storm could reach a rainfall rate of 30mm per hour.

There is a high risk of surface flooding and streams may rise rapidly, MetService warned.

People are advised to use their headlights and bring pets inside.

Severe weather is expected in the Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo and Taihape.

A further 80mm of rain could hit the ranges of the eastern Bay of Plenty where MetService warns there could be possible surface flooding and slips.

While the wet weather system is moving east, Auckland can still expect more damp conditions over the next couple of days, and won't shake the humidity for at least another 24 hours.

"There isn't really any reprieve for the old frizzy hair syndrome until we get more of a south west wind and that's probably going to take another 24 hours,'' said MetService forecaster Daniel Corbett.

"Later on today there will be another batch of showers and maybe some thunderstorms coming through for parts of Auckland and north western parts of the North Island.''

Conditions will be slowly improving from tomorrow and through the weekend as the south west system comes through. However, showers will continue until Saturday morning.

Friday will bring breezes that will feel ``fresh'' after the mid-week humidity, and the weekend will be an improvement on a ``messy week'', Mr Corbett said.