UPDATED 5:20pm — Reports are coming in of torrential downpours and thunderstorms in parts of Auckland as an active band of rain moves in.

Showers in the Tasman Sea have spent the afternoon getting better organised and now an incredibly slow moving front is moving into Auckland Region and City from the west.

Ew pic.twitter.com/MJprZFns5T

— Kim Baker Wilson (@kimbakerwilson) June 3, 2015

Monsoon in grey Lynn pic.twitter.com/mryfbtPJsV

— Jayson Bryant (@Jayson_Bryant) June 3, 2015

Some minor surface flooding on Queen St. Typical – Auckland trying to steal Dunedin’s thunder.

— Ryan Shaw (@tinopai) June 3, 2015

My decision to walk to Mt Eden shops may have been … unwise. pic.twitter.com/u54rWCpYcI

— Bruce Buckman (@BruceBuckman) June 3, 2015

That was a downpour! Sth Auckland @WeatherWatchNZ flooding in my street as I tweet pic.twitter.com/nLfgNbEx2I

— Miss Michelle (@MIkitule) June 3, 2015

Rain with heavy downpours is already affecting western and southern areas. 

However the arched band of rain is now slowly moving across Auckland City. Downpours will increase and may set into general rain. Isolated thunderstorms are possible, so too is isolated hail.

Downpours may be heavy enough to cause localised surface and flash flooding.

Winds may be strong enough in the heaviest showers (squalls) to cause localised pockets of minor damage.

WeatherWatch.co.nz has an ORANGE to RED alert for *isolated* thunderstorms (moderate to high risk) in the region – some have already been detected near Auckland Airport and along the western ranges – plus many more out at sea.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz