A thunderstorm warning remains in place as violent electrical storms pounded Auckland overnight leaving many without power for hours.

Northland, northern Auckland and Taranaki were buffeted by thunderstorms and high winds last night, as much of the rest of the country

UK proposes closing its doors to kiwi migrants, Hurricane Matthew destroys homes in Haiti and Sharapova has her doping ban reduced.

Thunder storms and torrential rain are dousing the upper North Island as the tail-end of a storm makes its presence felt on this side of Tasman.

Join Tristram Clayton and Phil Duncan as they discuss the latest in weather.

A gaping chasm has appeared in a south Waikato road as councils across the North Island begin to take stock of damage in the wake of the weekend's storm.

As scary as it might sound, the occurrence is more common than you'd think.

Some homeowners probably won't be insured and fear eviction after tide smashes Sydney coast.

nzherald.co.nz reader Chris Weissenborn sent in this footage of lightning and thunder on the North Shore's Hauraki Corner at 5am this morning.

A very odd atmospheric event has been unfolding in the Arabian Sea.

It was a heartening moment captured amid overwhelming bleakness: a 3-year-old Hurricane Katrina survivor wrapping her chubby little arms round the air force pararescue jumper who had rappelled into New Orleans to save the girl's family from floodwaters.

A day that started off fine and clear for most areas of Auckland yesterday quickly turned into something a "little strange".

Super typhoon Soudelor is generating waves of about 15m as it heads towards Taiwan, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre.

MetService said a strong, cold southwest flow over New Zealand was bringing showers to southern parts of the North and South Islands.

An Auckland mother and her terrified son hid in a cupboard as ferocious winds sent a tree branch smashing into their living room.

A group of school campers blocked in by a landslip in Fiordland haven't let "avalanches" and torrential rain put a damper on their fun.

Violent storms across Colorado swirled into tornadoes that destroyed homes, popped open a sinkhole that swallowed a police patrol car and dropped so much hail on a Denver neighbourhood.

Around 3,000 Auckland homes are without power tonight as the wet weekend weather kicks in.

Gale force winds blowing across Auckland have forced the cancellation of some ferry services and have made driving conditions hazardous.

Wild weather has continued to batter the Bay of Plenty region with high winds flipping a plane on the runway at Tauranga Airport. Plus: Aerial photos of the devastation.

A New Zealand storm has been blamed for monster waves smashing California today.

Although the wild weather eased yesterday afternoon, authorities warned that the coming days could see more flash floods.

A woman behind a quilt drive for victims of Cyclone Pam will deliver more than 700 blankets to Vanuatu when she arrives at the devastated island nation on Saturday.

Amazing images of a typhoon heading for the Philippines have been snapped from orbit by two astronauts.

Home and business owners were mopping up yesterday ready to assess the damage after an hour long thunderstorm hammered Alexandra.