A tornado has torn through a paddock in Ashburton this afternoon as thunderstorms swept through the Canterbury region.
Footage provided to 1News showed the phenomenon – framed by dark clouds and lightning – swirling over a nearby property.
1News meteorologist Dan Corbett said the swirling mass was "probably a tornado".
"Wow, you're sitting on the John Deere tractor and you see this," he said.
"A scoreline went through the area shortly before this and there's a lot of twist with those conditions. I call it the bookend vortices.
"It's not quite Wizard of Oz but it's a small tornado with a lower formation."
MetService issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Selwyn, Ashburton and Christchurch City just before 5pm after severe thunderstorms were detected near the offshore Rakaia River mouth, Seafield and Pendarves.
A severe thunderstorm watch remained in force this evening for Christchurch City, the Banks Peninsula and coastal areas just south of the peninsula.
"They could be severe and accompanied by large damaging hail, larger than 20mm diameter."
Large hail could damage crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses and vehicles, and make driving conditions hazardous.
Corbett said the fast-moving thunderstorm had moved away off Banks Peninsula by about 6.45pm.
He said there was a moderate risk of similar conditions tomorrow as far north as Wairarapa, where there was likely to be an even great risk.
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