Winds are now picking up over the North Island behind a band of heavy rain that rolled through late this afternoon.  The rain, which was heavy from Auckland to Nelson, is currently moving into Kapiti, Wellington and Marlborough and should clear the country in the next few hours. 

Only a few thunderstorms have been detected near New Zealand, despite a severe thunderstorm watch from MetService, but the Radio Network’s Weather Watch Centre says some thunderstorms are still on their way.  “Right now we’re seeing some heavy, isolated showers over western parts of the North Island.  There are two significant bands of rain or showers still moving towards us with the first band travelling at over 100km/h and this one will contain more thunderstorms, squalls and maybe tornadoes” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.

In the past hour lightning strikes detected by the Weather Watch Centre’s lightning radar have jumped from 30 an hour to almost 150 an hour, most being picked up west of Northland.

Mr Duncan says because the showers are moving very quickly that will significantly reduce the chances of further flooding, but residents in flood prone areas are being asked to remain vigilant.

Conditions will be windy tomorrow over the North Island but heavy showers, some with thunder, will ease during the morning.

Currently Winds are reaching near 110km/h west of Auckland airport on the Manukau Heads with similar wind gusts in the Hauraki Gulf.  Across the city itself winds are gusting up to 60km/h.

“Additional heavy showers overnight may also cause further headaches for properties suffering from slips and landslides in Auckland and other regions”.

“Waterways already swollen from recent rains – some receiving twice their July rainfall in just 5 days – won’t be able to tolerate much more rain”.

And the run of cool weather doesn’t look set to ease over the South Island with southerly or sou’westerly winds making a return during Monday. “Snow on the mountains again and day time highs still struggling to make it in to double digits”.

Long range forecasts from the Weather Watch Centre indicate next week will be drier but another low in the Tasman Sea later in the week could again bring more rain to the nation’s western and northern regions.