The central North Island is in for a dousing as a severe thunderstorm is set to hit on Friday afternoon.
Weather forecaster Metservice is warning Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taihape, Wanganui, Manawatu, and Tararua are in for thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain. A severe weather warning has been issued for the areas until 8pm tonight.
"Atmospheric conditions are expected to become unstable over the central North Island today, promoting the development of thunderstorms from late morning till early evening," Metservice says.
"These thunderstorms are expected to bring localised heavy rain and hail. However, thunderstorms about southern Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, the Tararua District, Taihape and inland areas of Whanganui and Manawatu, are likely to become slow moving, resulting in a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms producing localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm per hour, as well as a chance of large accumulations of hail."
The forecaster warned the rain could cause surface or flash flooding especially in low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may lead to slips.
And the hail might be bad news for farmers with Metservice warning it could cause significant damage to crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses and vehicles.
Metservice said the weather will likely also make driving conditions hazardous.
While the thunderstorm should ease by 8pm on Friday, Mount Taranaki is expected to see heavy rain overnight on Saturday
Metservice says a front will move over the South Island from the west on Saturday then across central New Zealand overnight Saturday, bringing a period of brief heavy north to northwesterly rain to western areas.
"The most rainfall is expected about Mount Taranaki where a Heavy Rain Watch is in force."
And picnic catch ups might be off the cards for locked down Aucklanders with rain expected all weekend.
