A significant burst of Autumn thunderstoms are moving into NZ today from the Tasman Sea and may cause some issues with cloud to ground lightning strikes, flight delays and the potential for localised flash flooding. Even if you don’t get an actual thunderstorm, you may still be affected by heavy downpous and instability caused by a large low pressure zone over the Tasman Sea, moving into the North Island today and tonight.

Keep up to date with MetService thunderstorm outlook here.

Lightning tracker here.

Here is the lightning loop showing the past 6 hours lightning leading up to 7:30am Thursday, thanks to our friends at Weatherzone.

🚨⚡️⛈️⚡️Incoming #thunderstorms for #NewZealand. The North Island is most exposed, but the upper South Island may also get them today. This may cause flight delays, localised flooding, cloud to ground lightning.

Live Tracker: https://t.co/b7309qzxhU

Credit: #Weatherzone: pic.twitter.com/n7mmWxi2Tx

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) May 28, 2025