Weather: Plane struck by lightning as storms sweep across the North Island

Strong thunderstorms over the North Island on Wednesday are causing heavy downpours, slips and flooding.

A flight from Wellington to Hamilton was diverted to Auckland after a suspected lightning strike.

The aircraft, flight NZ5814, is being evaluated by engineers in Auckland, an Air New Zealand spokeswoman said.

The passengers were put on another flight from Auckland to Hamilton, which has since departed Auckland. The spokeswoman said lightning was not uncommon. “The aircraft are designed with this in mind and our pilots train for this scenario.”

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In Taranaki, a slip blocked a lane of State Highway 3, south of Hāwera. There has also been significant surface flooding on some streets in New Plymouth.

According to MetService, New Plymouth Airport received 51mm of rain between 6am and 9am, while nearby Hillsborough received 67.5mm, of which 33.5mm fell in recent hours.

MetService warns of severe thunderstorms in Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupō, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki and Taihape throughout the day.

Severe thunderstorms are possible with downpours that bring rainfall intensities of 25 millimeters to 40 mm per hour. MetService warns that rains of this intensity can cause surface and flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas like streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and can also lead to slipping.

MetService meteorologist Rob Kerr said some fronts were “quite active” and were bringing stormy weather and significant rain to parts of the North Island.

Some areas of Auckland could also expect to see storms “bubbling” this afternoon, as well as localized showers.

Auckland has a high risk of downpours that could reach up to 25mm per hour, something that has not been seen since 2017.

A series of weather alerts and alerts have been implemented for the North Island areas. A heavy rain warning is in effect for the Bay of Plenty and northern Taranaki areas, and the Kaikōura Coast and Ranges throughout the day.

Heavy rain alerts are in effect for the Coromandel Peninsula, Taupō, Taumarunui, Waitomo, Waikato south of Hamilton, and also for Tongariro National Park.

Clocks have also been installed for the Ruahine range and the Tararua range. On the South Island, there is a weather watch for Nelson, west of Motueka.

The wet and stormy weather is due to a deepening of the low and its associated fronts, which have moved in front of the Tasman Sea.

There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms from Northland to north Taranaki, including the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty west of Tauranga, MetService warns.

The stormy weather is expected to continue into the afternoon, with a moderate risk of thunderstorms for the Coromandel Peninsula, the Bay of Plenty coastline, western Gisborne, inland Hawke’s Bay, Whanganui, and inland Manawatū.

These thunderstorms can produce localized rainfall rates of 10mm to 25mm per hour, the forecaster warns.

In the main hubs, Auckland residents can expect heavy rains during the day and some thunderstorms. A high of 24 degrees Celsius and a low of 16 ° C are forecast.

In Wellington, there will be periods of rain, sometimes heavy, throughout the day with winds from the northeast. A maximum of 16 ° C and a minimum of 13 ° C are forecast.

In Christchurch, patches of drizzle will turn to rain throughout the day, with winds from the northeast. A maximum of 17 ° C and a minimum of 12 ° C are forecast.

Dunedins will see some sunshine on Wednesday. Residents can expect good weather with northeast winds. A maximum of 18 ° C and a minimum of 12 ° C are forecast.