Tornadoes Could Hit North Island

Aucklanders could be in for a wet journey home this evening with heavy rain and possible thunderstorms forecast.

The heavy rain is expected to affect most of the upper North Island and could lead to flash flooding, slips and dangerous driving conditions.

Metservice has warned there is a risk of one or two severe thunderstorms from Waikato up to Northland and across to Coromandel Peninsula this afternoon and evening, which could produce localised downpours of 25 to 35mm per hour, hail over 20mm in diameter, strong wind gusts over 110 km/h and possibly a small tornado.

Large hail can cause significant damage to crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses. Wind gusts of this strength can cause some structural damage, including to trees and power lines.

If any tornadoes occur, they will only affect very localised areas.

Source- NZ Herald