MetService is forecasting more wild weather for parts of the North Island today, including thunderstorms, after a night of lightning strikes and heavy rain.
The forecaster said the rain radar was showing "plenty of colour this morning", with lightning activity over the North Island.
It said more than 3500 lightning strikes were recorded to 7am today, with more expected as severe thunderstorms rolled through.
Early this morning, MetService issued a brief severe thunderstorm warning for Taranaki, which was lifted after an hour.
"Very heavy rain may cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas and may make driving conditions extremely hazardous," it said.
"Further severe thunderstorms may affect other parts of the North Island today."
It has since issued severe thunderstorm watches for Northland, Auckland and Great Barrier Island (9.30am to 5pm), and Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupō (1pm to 6pm).
Metservice said they could be "severe" across eastern parts of Northland this morning and early afternoon, then Auckland around midday and through the afternoon, and this afternoon across Coromandel Peninsula, eastern parts of Waikato and Taupō, and Bay of Plenty.
Other watches and warnings were issued as the active low pressure system was expected to move onto central and northern parts of the country today, and move to the east of the country on Thursday.
Up to 120mm of rain was expected for Bay of Plenty including Rotorua, Gisborne/Tairawhiti north of Ruatoria and inland ranges, with highest accumulations expected east of Ōpōtiki. An orange heavy rain warning was in place for that area until midnight.
"Peak intensities 15 to 25 mm/h, but possibly 25 to 40 mm/h in localised areas."
Full watches and warnings list
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island - 7hrs 30min from 9:30am - 5pm today.
Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupō - 5hrs from 1pm - 6pm today.
Heavy Rain Warning
Bay of Plenty including Rotorua, also Gisborne/Tairāwhiti north of Ruatoria and inland ranges – 12 hours from 11am to 11pm.
Heavy Rain Watch
Northland – seven hours from 9am to 4pm.
Auckland, Great Barrier Island and Coromandel Peninsula – 11 hours from 10am to 9pm today.
Central North Island areas of Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taupō, Taihape and inland Whanganui – 9 hours hours from noon to 9pm today.
Taranaki – 16 hours from 11am today to 3am Thursday.
Wairarapa – 20 hours from 9am today to 5am Thursday.
Eastern hills and ranges of Wellington – 18 hours from 9am today to 3am Thursday.
The Kaikoura Coast - 15hrs from 9am - midnight.
The Chatham Islands - 20hrs from 2pm Wed - 10am Thursday
Strong Wind Watch
Taranaki – 9 hours from 8pm tonight to 5am Thursday.
Eastern Tararua District and Hawke's Bay south of Cape Kidnappers – 13 hours from midnight tonight to 1pm Thursday.
Horowhenua to Wellington – 13 hours from 4pm today to 5am Thursday.
Wairarapa – 15 hours from 7pm tonight to 10am Thursday.
Northland and Auckland, including Great Barrier Island – 10 hours from 9pm tonight to 7am Thursday.
The ranges of Marlborough and Nelson east of Wakefield, also in the east of the Nelson Lakes - 10hrs from 5pm Wed - 3am Thursday.
The Chatham Islands - 12hrs from 6pm Thursday - 6am Friday.
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