Wild westerly winds are continuing to roar across New Zealand this afternoon with isolated thunderstorms affecting central parts of the country.

As of 1:30pm winds near gale force and gusting to 75km/h were blowing through Auckland’s CBD. 

Strong westerlies gusting 65km/h are moving through Tauranga, lifting the temperature to 18 degrees this hour while similar speed winds are blowing across Napier and Gisborne lifting temperatures to 19.  Gusts in some more exposed east coast regions are reaching 100km//h.

But it’s not just the north and east.  Wanaganui has a gale force westerly with gusty conditions in both New Plymouth and Palmerston North up to 70km/h.

Kaikoura has a westerly reaching gale at times with gusts to 90km/h and gusts to 60 and 70km/h across the West Coast and Canterbury.

A few isolated thunderstorms are also passing over the upper South Island and lower North Island. Around 100 have been detected in the past hour.

Conditions should start to ease tomorrow and Saturday ahead of the next set of stormy weather starting on Sunday.