Storms on the way

Onlookers check out planes landing through the stormclouds at Auckland International Airport today. Photo / Simon Williams

Storms are on their way for most of the country this weekend.

Thunderstorms, hail and torrential downpours are continuing to spread up the North Island's west coast as snow falls on some South Island road says WeatherWatch.co.nz.

Today is day 1 of what looks like a 7 day weather system set to bring gales, rain, thunderstorms, hail and snow off and on to some parts of the country.

Since midnight last night the free and live lightning detector at WeatherWatch.co.nz has recorded over 8400 lightning strikes.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says a dramatic looking front moved across Auckland at 9 this morning turning day to dusk. "A secondary belt of thundery, squally, rain is moving in to the same North Island regions and will arrive around lunch time or early afternoon".

WeatherWatch.co.nz is advising residents to switch off non-essential electrical equipment once they hear thunder nearby.

With so much instability in the air both the Weather Watch Centre and MetService are warning of potential weak tornadoes in western areas from Taranaki to Northland.

The air temperature has dropped across New Zealand. Weather analyst Richard Green says snow is falling on Porters Pass. "The snow level is down to 600 metres and the graders are waiting on the side of the road in case it gets heavier".

Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill recorded temperatures of just 6 degrees late this morning.

In the North Island Wellington was on 13 but only 11 in Auckland and Hamilton.

Something pilots fear when stormy weather is around is wind shear, said Duncan.

Wind shear is a sudden and invisible wall of wind which can be dangerous, even deadly, to aircraft.