She said thunderstorm watches are issued when there are all the right “ingredients” for them and said they are currently tracking a line of heavy showers offshore to the north which is slowly making its way south.
The showers could also bring downpour to the affected regions.
MetService said the heat during the day is also encouraging the rain.
“My advice for Auckland is as always just to keep up with the current forecast, the watches and the warnings and heed the advice of your local council and Emergency management,” said Owen.
There are a number of other weather watches and warnings in place for the North Island as the same weather system which caused yesterday’s weather backtracks.
Eastern Northland south of the Bay of Islands is under a heavy rain watch from 10pm tonight through to 10am tomorrow.
The eastern areas of Auckland, the Hunua Ranges and the Coromandel Peninsula are also under heavy rain watches from this evening.
An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Bay of Plenty west of about Kawerau, including the Rotorua Lakes District, Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City areas until 8am tomorrow.
Bay of Plenty, about and east of Kawerau, is under a heavy rain watch.
In the South Island, an orange heavy rain warning is in place for Westland south of Otira through to 4pm tomorrow while Fiordland, north of George Sound, is under a heavy rain watch until 11am tomorrow.
