Your weather: Showers and thunderstorms for much of central New Zealand

Unsettled weather moving as a series of fronts will affect central New Zealand today, bringing showers and a few thunderstorms.

MetService meteorologist April Clark said lightning strikes were already occurring to the west of the country and were expected to move over land as the day progressed.

"It is set to move east across central New Zealand as we head into the afternoon and evening," Clark said.

There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms for northern Buller and northwest Nelson later this afternoon and early evening.

There is a high risk of localised thunderstorms from Taranaki to Waikato, especially about the coast this evening, and a low risk for Auckland.

"Those [under the high risk] are the places that we are most likely to see some strikes or at least hear some thunder," Clark said.

The thunderstorms might produce localised downpours of 10 to 25mm/hr - "so that's an instantaneous rain rate, that can cause surface flooding".

There is a heavy rain watch in place for Waitomo, Taumarunui and the headwaters of the Whanganui river this evening - where there is more likely to be "prolonged rain".

That could cause rivers to rise rapidly and remain that way, she said.

Auckland could expect a few showers, but rain for a time this afternoon, she said.

"The trend is that it will be getting worse as we head into the later part of the day.

"Tomorrow is going to be the wetter day for Auckland."

And while that rain is expected to ease later in the weekend, turning to cloud and scattered showers on Sunday, rain will return on Monday.

Lightning strikes we are now seeing to the west of NZ in the radar image below are forecast to move east today with the northwest corner of Buller and parts of western North Island likely to see localised thunderstorms. For more details see https://t.co/BZWb7ZPiRd ^AC pic.twitter.com/FpnaDjP2V8

— MetService (@MetService) April 16, 2020

Main centre forecasts today

Whangārei
Mostly cloudy. Showers clearing evening. Northwesterlies. High 23C, low 17C

Auckland
Mostly cloudy. Occasional showers, but rain for a time this afternoon. Northwesterlies. High 23C, 17C

Hamilton
Periods of rain, some heavy tonight. Northwesterlies. High 21, 16C

Tauranga
Mostly cloudy with occasional rain. Westerlies. High 22C, 17C

Wellington
Mostly cloudy. A few showers, mainly north of the city, turning to rain this evening. Northerlies. High 18C, 13C

Christchurch
Fine spells increasing. Northeasterlies developing this afternoon. High 15C, 10C

Dunedin
Mostly cloudy, rain at times. Northeasterlies. High 12C, 10C

Source: MetService