A thunderstorm has torn through the South Island and lower North Island causing extensive damage and disruption on Tuesday.
The storm started in Canterbury causing flights to be delayed or cancelled and flooding. Lighting also struck some hedging in Christchurch causing a fire.
The storm then moved up the country, with the greater Wellington region next in the firing line.
The wild weather made trees fall, blocking roads in Lower Hutt and causing extensive damage to windows and cars. There are currently around 2000 homes without power in Lower Hutt. Flights were also disrupted in Wellington.
Almost all severe thunderstorm warnings and watches have been cleared by MetService. A watch remains in place for Tararua District, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne/Tairawhiti until 9pm Tuesday.
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6:07pm - A spokesperson from Foodstuffs said the storm blew out three windows in the foyer of New World Hutt City which meant the store had to close temporarily had to close the store.
"Fortunately, no one was injured and our team immediately sprang into action by safely securing the area and by cleaning up and removing any damaged stock," Foodstuffs spokesperson Emma Wooster said.
"We want to thank the team for their quick and safe response and customers for their patience while we get things safely cleaned up. We expect New World Hutt City to be open in the morning."
5:55pm - MetService has removed the severe thunderstorm warning for Carterton, Tararua and Masterton.
The severe thunderstorm watches have also been cleared for the lower parts of the North Island, however, a watch remains in place for Tararua District, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne/Tairawhiti until 9pm tonight.
5:41pm - Wholly Bagels & Pizza in Lower Hutt had a wall fall due to the weather, injuring one woman. The woman has been taken to hospital but Newshub understands she is okay.
5:26pm - The weather has ripped out and smashed windows at Lighting Direct in Lower Hutt.
5:22pm - Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry said a "tornado" in Lower Hutt caused a "significant amount of damage", including severe damage to buildings, lifted roofs and trees toppled.
He said the council is working with emergency services to immediately respond.
Barry said power is out for around 2000 houses in Eastbourne and Belmont, however, it is expected to be restored in a few hours.
He urged people to stay indoors and avoid travel if possible.
5:06pm - Wellington Free Ambulance has confirmed it responded to several weather-related incidents this afternoon.
"The majority of patients were treated on scene and there was no requirement for transport by Wellington Free Ambulance for further treatment," a spokesperson said.
"Two patients were transported by Wellington Free Ambulance to Hutt Hospital, one in a serious condition and one in a moderate condition."
4:47pm - A FENZ spokesperson told Newshub there have been 64 jobs in the Hutt Valley so far. There have also been reports of injuries but there are currently no details as to how many or the nature of the injuries.
4:39pm - Multiple roads are blocked in Hutt Central after extensive damage by weather, Police said.
The intersections of Waterloo Road, Cornwall Street, Pretoria Street, High Street, Queens Drive and Kings Crescent are being closed.
Police said staff have received multiple reports of trees down over roads, glass across roads, and "extensive damage" to roofs windows and cars.
The public is advised to avoid travel into the Central Hutt area while the area is cleared.
4:36pm - MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Carterton, Tararua and Masterton.
"These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain, damaging wind gusts, hail and frequent lightning," it said.
"Very heavy rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous.
"Very strong wind gusts can break branches from trees, damage roofing, and make driving hazardous especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
"Hail can cause damage to crops, orchards and vines and may make driving conditions hazardous.
"Frequent lightning is dangerous to people and livestock, especially those exposed outdoors or on the water, and can cause power surges and damage to electrical equipment."
Wellington's severe thunderstorm warning has been downgraded to a watch.
4:30pm - Hutt City Council said there have been reports of damaged buildings and trees down across Lower Hutt due to the recent weather event.
"Please stay safe and avoid going outside if possible. Emergency services are out across the city - please be conscious of this," the council said.
Meanwhile, Wellington Region Emergency Management Office said it is aware of hail, flooding, power outages and damage caused by the thunderstorm across the region.
"We are still working to understand the extent of damage and impacts."
3:56pm - The storm blew out windows at a New World in Lower Hutt forcing customers to evacuate the store.
3:52pm - The thunderstorms in Wellington have now passed.
3:45pm - Wellingtonians are urged to take shelter indoors as the wet weather arrives.
Emergency Management's advice is to secure any loose objects around your property, check that drains and gutters are clear, be ready to slow down or stop, if driving and avoid streams and waterways.
3:20pm - The wild weather has arrived in Wellington.
MetService said the hail sizes reported are around 10-12mm.
2:40pm - A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Wellington.
Upper Hutt City, Hutt City, Porirua City, Wellington City, South Wairarapa are under a red warning, the highest classification from MetService.
The weather forecasting agency said the thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain, damaging wind gusts, hail and frequent lightning.
2:07pm - MetService is forecasting showers to ease in Christchurch later on Tuesday afternoon, with southerly winds remaining and a high of only 12C.
1:43pm - Lightning earlier struck some hedging in the Christchurch suburb of Yaldhurst, forcing it to catch fire. Fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
1:41pm - Local forecaster Canterbury Weather Updates warns isolated storms may still pop up in the region until between 4 and 5pm.
1:12pm - MetService says thunderstorms continue to move up the east cost of the country.
"Showers are forecast in Wellington after 2pm with the risk of thunderstorms," the forecaster says.
12:57pm - It appears power has been restored to most of those houses impacted by the weather in Christchurch. About 40 properties in surrounding areas including Arthurs Pass, Bealey, Cass, Castle Hill and Lake Grasmere remain without electricity, according to power authority Orion.
12:44pm - The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is urging motorists at the top of the South Island and bottom of the north to take care on the roads.
"Drivers in Wellington, Wairarapa, Tararua and Marlborough need to keep an eye on the weather and road conditions with a severe thunderstorm watch in place across the regions," it says. "The Metservice has a formal watch in place until 9pm tonight - meaning bad weather could coincide with peak commuter traffic times this afternoon and evening.
"The forecast warns of hail, intense rainfall, damaging winds and the potential for hazardous driving conditions and poor visibility."
Motorists should check weather and roading conditions before travelling, NZTA says.
12:26pm - It does not appear any Christchurch-bound international Air NZ flights have been disrupted by the weather.
"Flights have resumed, though there will be impacts up and down the networks, with delays and disruptions," Christchurch Airport said in its most-recent update.
"Passengers should check with their airlines as to any impacts on travel plans."
12:20pm - Below is a list of delayed, cancelled or diverted domestic Air New Zealand flights bound for Christchurch.
12:10pm - Electricity authority Orion says about 150 Christchurch homes are without power.
11:54am - Christchurch Airport has confirmed normal operations are resuming as the lightning moves away from the city.
"All systems are back in action and airlines will return to normal operations shortly."
11:48am - The wild weather is disrupting flights at Christchurch Airport.
"Lightning strikes have affected some of the critical infrastructure at Christchurch International Airport resulting in some flights being cancelled or diverted, though the airport remains open," Airways said in a statement.
11:45am - Christchurch is being lashed by wild weather, causing flooding in parts of the city.
MetService says one its sensors recorded 2mm of rain in a minute.
10:45am - Forecasting agency MetService said severe thunderstorms are moving towards the northeast and are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain, damaging wind gusts and hail.
"Very heavy rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous," MetService said.
"Very strong wind gusts can break branches from trees, damage roofing, and make driving hazardous especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles. Hail can cause damage to crops, orchards and vines and may make driving conditions hazardous."
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) advises people as storms approach they should take shelter preferably indoors and away from windows, move cars under cover and away from trees and secure loose objects.
A severe thunderstorm watch is also in place for Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Manawatū, Tararua, Kāpiti-Horowhenua, Wairarapa, Wellington, Marlborough, Christchurch, Canterbury Plains until 6pm on Tuesday.
MetService warns these thunderstorms could bring very heavy rain, large hail and damaging winds.
MetService meteorologist John Law told Newshub a southerly is moving up the country with Canterbury, Wellington and Hawke's Bay all in the firing line.
"The biggest risk for places like Canterbury, it will be through the morning time, around the central part of New Zealand, so around Wellington as we head through in towards the afternoon and up towards Hawke's Bay as we head through towards the afternoon and evening," Law said.
With these areas experiencing a southerly, Law said the temperatures are set to plummet.
"In Christchurch today, it's a cool day with the southerly winds, but as we head towards the end of the week, we're back into northwesterly," he said.
"So our temperatures climbing back to highs of around 27C to 28C for Christchurch."
While the thunderstorms might not make up to the upper North Island, Law said Auckland and Northland could experience some strong winds on Tuesday.
"The rest of the country we're stuck in this southwesterly feed of air, some pretty strong winds still running through the likes of Auckland and Northland. We have got another front just running through there bringing a few showers as we head through daytime today," he said.
But Law had some good news, with the bad weather not expected to hang around with high pressure on the way.
"High pressure starts to build back in from the Tasman Sea, so we should start to see things become a bit more settled, with some fine weather in store," he told Newshub.
"It's worth saying we'll still keep hold of some pretty brisk winds on the eastern coast. Places like Hawke's Bay. We've just issued a strong wind watch out for those areas as we head through Wednesday night into Thursday morning, but for Auckland, we should see those southwesterly easing off and things getting better by Thursday and Friday."
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Area: Hurunui, Selwyn, Waimakariri
Forecast: At 10:15 am, MetService weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near Darefield, Glentunnel, Hororata, Oxford, Sheffield, Kirwee and Charging Cross.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Area: Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Tararua, Kapiti-Horowhenua, Wairarapa, Wellington, Marlborough, Christchurch, Canterbury Plains
Period: 8hrs 55min from 9:05am - 6pm Tue, 12 Dec
Forecast: This is an alert to the potential development of severe thunderstorms with very heavy rain, large hail and damaging winds.
Strong Wind Watch
Area: Hawke's Bay south of Hastings and the Tararua District
Period: 9hrs from 11pm Wed, 13 Dec - 8am Thu, 14 Dec
Forecast: Westerly winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.
