Auckland and the surrounding areas have been struck by thunderstorms this afternoon and they are still continuing, hail has fallen in quite a few areas along with torrential rain. A funnel cloud was sighted by Brian Hamilton near the Bombay Hills south of Auckland this afternoon at 3.40pm.

These storms are the result of a combination of factors. Cold air high up in the atmosphere and warm temperatures at the surface help to create an imbalance, which results in unstable conditions. Finally, converging winds at the surface under these clouds helps to trigger these storms and creates updrafts or air moving upwards in other terms.

”The cold upper air is the culprit leading to hail about the region today”, says WeatherWatch.co.nz forecaster Aaron Wilkinson.

Thunderstorms with heavy rain should push into the Waikato later this afternoon and evening as an area of convergence moves into the district then conditions will ease overnight.

Story images / www.sitecam.co.nz/auckland_webcam/

WeatherWatch.co.nz