A torrent of tornadoes has left a trail of destruction across parts of the country with several sightings reported in recent weeks.
MetService said it's due to increased thunderstorm activity and with that set to continue, there could be more twisters on the way.
It's been a whirlwind of a year weather-wise, with tornadoes causing havoc up and down the motu.
Just last week a twister tore through central Otago, causing extensive damage to a Springvale property.
On Thursday, one south Taranaki home was struck - the violent weather system blowing part of the roof almost 300 metres down the road.
And last month, two large waterspouts were spotted off Auckland's coastline.
MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris said it's largely down to a marine heatwave.
"When we have warmer water around our coast, that is going to increase the moisture for our coastal areas and that increased moisture is fuel for thunderstorms and more thunderstorms means more risk of tornadoes."
And he said there's more to come.
"This summer we are still going to be under the influence of La Nina and that is going to bring down more of these low-pressure systems from the north - it will mean more humid air around the country."
But it's not unusual for Aotearoa to experience these weather patterns and over the past decade, there have been several fatalities as a result of tornadoes.
In 2011, the Albany tornado killed one person. A year later, three construction workers died after a twister in Hobsonville tore through their worksite.
And, in July 2021, another person was killed in Auckland's Papatoetoe.
But it's not just on land that we're feeling the effects of the marine heatwave - it's bringing in some unpopular species. There've been three sightings of deadly sea snakes in the Auckland region in the past two months.
So, be careful what you wish for when it comes to warmer summer temperatures - it doesn't always mean more settled conditions.
