A Boxing Day deluge hit Auckland mid-afternoon, causing flooding and forcing beachgoers to run for their cars.
Heavy rains across the city are causing some surface flooding, and an off-ramp on State Highway 1 near Mt Wellington is closed due to the water.
Police Inspector Jason Homan said contractors are working to clear flooding on the motorways, and that drivers should be extremely careful when passing crews.
“Following too close to the person in-front of you or attempting to overtake in risky situations is a recipe for disaster,” Homan said.
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A council rain gauge in Ōtāhuhu recorded 50mm of rainfall in just an hour on Monday.
“That’s definitely in the torrential rainfall category,” MetService said in a tweet.
Earlier on Monday, MetService issued a severe thunderstorm watch for areas north of Taumaranui from 2pm until 9pm on Monday.
The warning said scattered thunderstorms are expected to bring localised heavy rain and hail to parts of the central and northern North Island.
MetService meteorologist April Clark said while the thunderstorms would be “very localised”, they could also pose a threat to those who were unprepared, as they could bring lightning strikes, flash flooding and a low risk of tornadoes.
Driving conditions can also become hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain, she said.
LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff
Heavy rains came suddenly and all at once across Auckland.
Auckland Councillor Josephine Bartley shared video of the downpour and flooding in Ōtāhuhu
For those in most parts of the country who avoid downpours, the temperature will hover around the mid-20s, with a cool breeze coming through later in the day.
The need to slip, slop, slap and wrap will remain as the UV index is set to be “extreme” according to Niwa’s UV measuring index.
Tuesday should see a drop in temperature by as much as 10 degrees in Canterbury, although it should heat up again by Wednesday.
Christmas Day saw police turning revellers away from Auckland’s Long Bay after the beach was filled to capacity.
LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff
Boxing Day beach goers in Auckland’s Mission Bay shelter from the afternoon thunderstorms.
Although an Auckland Council spokesperson said, by late morning on Boxing Day, Long Bay and other regional parks had not yet been over-run.
Police have also asked that visitors drinking alcohol avoid swimming.
“Alcohol and water don’t mix and can have fatal consequences,” a spokesperson said.
