Climate & Environment

Lightning Strikes Nearly 2,000 Times as Severe Thunderstorm Watch Covers North Island on Election Day

By RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Nearly 2,000 lightning strikes were recorded across the top of the North Island overnight, with heavy rainfall and downpours reaching 33.5 mm per hour in the Bay of Plenty, according to MetService. The storm watch, covering most of the North Island and the upper South Island, was in place as voters headed to the polls. MetService logged 1,845 lightning strikes from midnight. Fire and Emergency responded to five weather‑related incidents, including flooding and fallen trees. In Auckland’s Grey Lynn, a billboard fell in strong winds, damaging fencing and lying across the footpath, cycle lane, and road. MetService warned of a moderate risk that thunderstorms could become severe across a wide area, from Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula north to inland South Island regions north of Tekapo. The watch is already active in the north and will begin at 1 pm in the south. It also covers the Bay of Plenty, the central high country to Taranaki, Whanganui southwards to northern and eastern Wellington, and the Tararua District and Wairarapa. The agency will update the watch at 6 pm. Severe thunderstorms could produce localized downpours of 25 to 40 mm per hour, potentially causing surface or flash flooding in low‑lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may lead to slips. Driving conditions could be hazardous due to surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.