Hail, thunder and lightning as spectacular electrical storm hits Gisborne

Spectacular forked lightning hits Gisborne. Photo / Phill Clayton

Bolts of lightning and walnut-sized hailstones have pelted Gisborne as an electrical storm moves up the east coast of the North Island.

The Gisborne Herald posted footage of a lawn and vege garden being rapidly carpeted in hail, prompting Facebook users to share their own pictures from the storm.

That was a bit of an exciting storm! Any pictures to share?

Posted by The Gisborne Herald on Sunday, 16 April 2017

Bolts of lightning as electrical storm moves through Gisborne. Photo / Georgia Williams

Helen Moore-Saunders told the Gisborne Herald that what started out as a nice walk "ended up being a soaked run back to the car".

Athenia Destounis captured lightning jumping between clouds from her vantage point on Makorori Hill.

Metservice meteorologist Ravi Kandula confirmed Gisborne had seen thunderstorms and hail around 5pm, with one area getting 25mm of rain in an hour. Thunderstorms had cleared most of Hastings and Napier but Wairoa was still seeing heavy showers.

Several also captured a double rainbow that appeared after the storm.

A double rainbow graces Gisborne after the storm moves through. Photo / Karen Morrow

Once the thunderstorm had moved through Gisborne and Poverty Bay it would rolling off to the east, Kandula said.

"That will be it for the next 24-48 hours, and there'll be some nice weather."

Gisborne gardens were carpeted in hailstones. Photo/Karen McDonald