Issued at 9:36am 24/07/2026

Valid from 9:36am 24/07/2026 to Midnight 24/07/2026

A front moves east across central and northern New Zealand, followed by a series of troughs and a front embedded in an unstable showery westerly and later southwesterly flow. There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms this morning and afternoon in Fiordland and Stewart Island, associated with a front that moves northeast over those areas. These storms may be accompanied by heavy rain, 10 to 15 mm/h and small hail. There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms this morning, afternoon and evening about central and northern Westland, Grey, Buller and the far west of Tasman, which spreads over the west coast of the North Island from Taranaki through to Northland from midday onwards, reaching Great Barrier Island at night, and also for a time late afternoon and evening about Marlborough Sounds and Horowhenua Kapiti Coast. These thunderstorms bring the risk of localised heavy rain of 10 to 25 mm/hr with gusts to 90 km/h and small tornadoes possible. At night there is a moderate risk of thunderstorms for the far east of the Bay of Plenty and the far north of Gisborne/Tairawhiti as indicated on the chart. These storms may be accompanied by heavy rain, 10 to 25 mm/h with strong wind gusts 90 km/h and small tornadoes possible. There is a broader low risk area covering remaining southern and western parts of the South Island, also western and northern parts of the North Island as indicated on the chart. Elsewhere, there is a minimal risk of thunderstorms or significant convection during this period.

Issued at 7:39pm 24/07/2026

Valid from Midnight 24/07/2026 to Midday 25/07/2026

A front movers east across the eastern Bay of Plenty before dawn on Saturday, followed by a series of troughs embedded in an unstable west to southwest flow. Before dawn, there is a moderate risk of thunderstorms for the far north of Buller, far western Tasman, Marlborough Sounds, Horowhenua Kapiti Coast, northern Taranaki and coastal Waitomo, and also for far eastern Bay of Plenty and the far north of Gisborne/Tairawhiti. These storms may be accompanied by heavy rain, 10 to 15 mm/h and small hail. However, for eastern Bay of Plenty and far northern Gisborne/Tairawhiti, the storms here may be accompanied by heavy rain, 10 to 25 mm/h with gusts to 90 km/h and small tornadoes possible. There is a broader low risk area covering western and northern parts central and northern New Zealand as indicated on the chart. A trough moves onto the lower South Island during the morning and there is an associated low risk of thunderstorms for the southwest of Fiordland, and coastal parts of Southland, Clutha and Dunedin. Elsewhere, there is a minimal risk of thunderstorms or significant convection during this period.

Issued at 9:32am 24/07/2026

Valid from Midday 25/07/2026 to Midnight 25/07/2026

A front embedded with a strong southwest flow moves over the North Island during the second half of Saturday. During the afternoon, there is a low risk of thunderstorms from Auckland to Manawatu, also about Coromandel Peninsula, western Bay of Plenty, far eastern Bay of Plenty and far northern Gisborne as indicated on the chart. There is also a low risk of thunderstorms for coastal parts of Wairarapa, Tararua District, Hawke's Bay, also for the Wairoa District and Gisborne/Tairawhiti south of Gisborne city during the afternoon and evening. Elsewhere, there is a minimal risk of thunderstorms or significant convection during this period.