A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the Bay of Plenty, the Coromandel and the Hauraki Plains.
The watch is in place from 2pm to 10pm today and covers the Coromandel Peninsula from the Coromandel township southwards, the Hauraki Plains and the Bay of Plenty from Te Puke westwards.
Severe thunderstorms are possible, potentially producing intense downpours of 25 - 40 millimetres of rain per hour, MetService said.
The thunderstorms are expected to ease this evening.
Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips.