Severe thunderstorm warning north of Auckland

SEU BREBNER-FOX/Rodney Times

HEAVY DOWNPOUR: Surface flooding in Warkworth, north of Auckland.

The MetService has warned of severe thunderstorms, just an hour after the Auckland region's rain radar was brought back to working order.

This morning's rain radar breakdown came as a severe weather warning was posted, with an "energy rich" system moving in on Auckland and Coromandel for this afternoon and tonight.

Spokesman Bob McDavitt said the radar was brought back about midday, at which point the service issues a severe thunderstorm warning for Kaipara, Rodney and Whangarei.

The Auckland weather radar is north of the city, near Leigh on Mt Tamahunga.

Earlier, the Auckland Region Emergency Management Office warned Aucklanders to stay tuned to weather forecasts and exercise caution over the next 12 hours.

A slow-moving front lying over the Hauraki Gulf was expected to unleash an intense period of heavy rain and thunderstorms in the greater Auckland area today before moving over the Coromandel overnight.

The MetService said the heaviest falls are expected later today with up to 100mm predicted and thunderstorms also set to break out.  MetService forecasters said the heavy rain will probably fall in a relatively short time, with some intense downpours leading to surface flooding, hazardous driving conditions, and possible slips.

Harry O'Rourke, Group Controller for the Auckland Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, advised people to take the following simple precautions to minimise the impact of this weather:

"It is a good time to check your emergency survival kit and update your household emergency plans.  Make sure your battery-powered torches and radios are working and check the expiry dates on all food in your emergency survival kit," he said.

In the Coromandel Peninsula, rain is also expected to become heavier later today, with thunderstorms from this evening. Up to 150mm of rain is possible by tomorrow morning, the MetService said.

- with MICHAEL FIELD

- © Fairfax NZ News