Yet another large electrical storm is moving on to the nation’s west coast.  Almost 7500 strikes have been recorded today with 1100 in the past 60 minutes alone.  Our Greymouth Weather Watch reporter Katrina Lowe says the storm knocked out power for a short while.  “We had flashes every 30 seconds and the thunder was just rumbling and rumbling”.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says a large swarm of thunderstorms moved over the West Coast but attention is now turning to Taranaki.  “The next band of big thunderstorms is heading in to Taranaki this afternoon, with all western regions south of Auckland exposed to dangerous lightning strikes”.

Duncan advises people to stay in doors and if you start to hear thunder to switch off computers.

“With so many lightning strikes there’s a very high chance of direct hits to trees, powerlines and buildings”.

Duncan also warnings of localised flash and surface flooding which may make driving dangersous.  The thunderstorms are a pre-cursor to the second big wintry storm in as many days.