Thunderstorms are currently erupting across the Waikato region as humid, warm, weather conditions move across the area.

The Lightning Tracker at WeatherWatch.co.nz has clocked up almost 250 lightning strikes in the last 60 minutes mainly across Waikato. 

Heavy rain is also falling across central parts of the North Island and our Blenheim WeatherWatch reporter Anna Richards says rain is now falling across Marlborough.

But despite the promises of rain yesterday parched Northland and Auckland missed out on solid rainfalls as the rain band broke apart as it hit land late last night. 

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says it’s a frustrating side to weather forecasting.  “Those in Auckland and Northland have experienced this frustrating weather scenario a few times over the past 12 months, when rain or thunderstorms move in directly from the north west the land can cause them to literally ‘snap apart’ “.

“We see the heavy rain moving down each coast but very little making it in to land, then quite often the systems regenerate over the waters of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf giving parts of Waikato or Coromandel a soaking”.

Mr Duncan says with rain bands moving in from the west today there’s a better chance of heavier downpours.  “We recognised yesterday afternoon that the chance of thunderstorms had shifted from Wednesday to Thursday and today we stand by that forecast.  Not only is there significant thunder activity over Waikato this morning but we also expect isolated thunderstorms or heavy showers to move in from the west affecting Taranaki, Auckland and Northland later this morning and into the afternoon”.

MetService has placed almost all of New Zealand under a thunderstorm risk today, a very rare sight as unstable conditions move in behind the cold front.  At highest risk are Auckland, Waikato, Northland, Coromandel Peninsula and north western Bay of Plenty, including Tauranga.