Niwa is urging beachgoers to get out of the water as cloud-to-ground lightning strikes pepper the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
Nearly 80 strikes have been recorded in eastern Waikato and Bay of Plenty, however the thunderstorm was making its way north up the Coromandel coast about 1.45pm today.
Initially there were only 10 strikes recorded between Waihi Beach and Tauranga before the storm spread east into Waikato.
Seventy-seven strikes were recorded around Te Aroha, Paeroa, Ngatea and Waihi.