Heavy hailstorm smashes Auckland's North Shore

Summer seems to have been postponed this morning as a heavy hail storm forced cars to pull over .

Video and pictures posted online show heavy hail slamming Takapuna, Milford and Glenfield.

Takapuna beach resident Sarah Jane, from paddleboard company Girls Get Out There NZ, said "there was dark, heavy cloud coming over. She was about to take someone paddleboarding, saying, "it wasn't supposed to rain for another hour, but then [the hail] came over."

Ms Jane reports the hail was "about the size of a 10 cent piece".

"There was massive thunder and lightening flashes - then the hail had everyone dashing for cover."

Hail requires water to freeze within convective clouds, and Ms Matheson says that a "large cluster" of these hail causing clouds are heading over central Auckland today.

Heavy hailstorm smashes Auckland's North Shore
Photo credit: Twitter / @MetService

She said there will be small clusters all over North Island today, particularly the central North Island.

Witness Kyle McBride said traffic in Glenfield was forced pull over to the side the road in the storm.

Newshub.