Severe weather sees 40,000 lose power

Storms and high tides flooded Tauranga's historic village. Photo / Barnes Family

About 40,000 homes were without power yesterday evening as severe weather struck the east of the North Island.

Lightning strikes and flash floods struck the eastern Bay of Plenty, the western side of East Cape and northern Hawke's Bay just after 5pm.

Thunderstorms peaked at 750 lightning strikes an hour around 6.45pm.

WeatherWatch's head weather analyst Philip Duncan said it was a dangerous area to be in.

"They weren't normal thunderstorms, they were very big and very violent. We saw thunderstorms and flash flooding throughout the area. This is the sort of weather you see in America sometimes."

The unstable weather pattern was caused when hot and humid conditions that characterised Friday night collided with cooler air yesterday.

Transpower said several substations were hit, cutting power to homes and businesses in Papamoa, Greerton, Tauranga and Rotorua.

General communications manager Cynthia Brophy said power was restored to most properties in little more than a hour.

The WeatherWatch Centre advised people to stay indoors.