Purple light illuminated a residential street in Hawke's Bay during the thunder and lightning storm. Photo / Supplied.
Purple light illuminated a residential street in Hawke's Bay during the thunder and lightning storm. Photo / Supplied.
After the storm, the wind.
Blustery winds are expected in Hawke's Bay today, with the potential for severe gusts in exposed places.
The MetService has issued a number of strong wind watches for places both in the North Island and South Island.
"A front is forecast to move northeast across New Zealand [today], preceded by a period of strong west to northwesterly winds and followed by a change to strong and cold southwesterlies.
"People are advised to keep up-to-date with the latest forecasts in case any updates are made."
Westerly winds may change to become more squally southwesterly winds in the Hawke's Bay, Tararua District and Wairarapa. The watch is effective from 9am to 9pm.
Fire Emergency New Zealand answered seven storm-related calls in Napier and Hastings in about an hour and a quarter, but none involved major damage.
Communications centre shift manager in Wellington Murray Dunbar said it didn't reach the situation where multiple calls were stretching the resources, and most calls involved clearing ice from drains, helping clear flooding, salvaging stock or other items, and otherwise helping with advice.
Flooding issues were generally caused by ice blocking drains, the only exception a lightning strike which caused a tree fire off Beattie Rd, Bay View.
The first was at 4.24pm to the St Vincent de Paul charity op-shop in Carlyle St, Napier, where water had entered the building from the roof, dropping of two ceiling panels and causing some flooding in the premises. A single crew spent about half-an-hour at the scene.
Two calls followed in quick succession in Heretaunga St West, Hastings, to Hastings Pharmacy at 4.38pm, and the nearby Red Cross Hall at 4.40pm.
Lightning strikes over Morse St, Marewa. Photo / George Funari
A Napier crew was then called to Dunstall's Funeral Services in Edwardes St, Napier at 4.51pm, a Taradale crew to the Otatara Heights Residential Care Centre at 4.57pm, and a Hastings crew was called to flooding on a property in Jervois St, Hastings, at 5.19pm.
A single crew from Bay View Volunteer Fire Brigade extingushed the the fire which was reported at 5.38pm.
Generally, while rain and hail were intense for a short period, the intensity was not reflected in official weather figures, with MetService recording 21mm of rain in Hastings and less than 11mm in Napier.
St Vincent De Paul Opportunity Shop manager Richard Kelly-Lowe said water came flooding in "like a river" and caused the suspended ceiling to collapse under the pressure.
The room affected, fortunately, was a board room and didn't have any of the charity's stock, but does have electrical equipment.
Napier turned into a winter wonderland, with the streets covered with hail. Photo / Supplied.
Residents took to social media to share glimpses of the storm, from all angles.
Napier streets were coated with hail, Flaxmere reported flooding while a lightning show stunned onlookers in Havelock North.
George Funari managed to take a photo of lightning behind a line of houses on Morse St, Marewa at 4.10pm.
The 14-year-old budding photographer said he used his phone to get the "right shot at the right time". "I just took it because there are hardly any thunderstorms," he said.
