A severe thunderstorm warning is in place for the Bay of Plenty tonight, with police issuing a surface flooding warning for roads in the area.
MetService has recorded 17 millimeters of rain Tauranga since about 7.30pm, and the temperature has dropped there from 23 degrees down to 17 in just the last hour.
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Hundreds of lightening strikes have also reportedly descended on Tauranga, with witnesses saying the sky has been dramatically lit up with splashes of orange, pink and grey.
Surface flooding has been reported around Tauranga on Cameron Rd, Fraser St, Eleventh Ave through to Fifteenth Ave, and to Greerton.
A worker at Indian Food and Spices said the store had been flooded by a driver speeding through the deep water.
Police are also warning surface flooding is affecting eastern parts of Rotorua, including Te Ngae Road (SH 30), and advising extra care while driving.
MetService is forecasting severe thunderstorms moving towards the north-northwest, until at least 9pm, lying near Tauranga, Te Puke, Mount Maunganui, offshore Mount Maunganui, Te Puna, offshore Matakana Island, Matakana Island, Omokoroa, Papamoa, and the Kaimai Ranges.
There is also a warning of flash flooding in these areas caused by torrential rain.
Check the forecast in your region on the 1 NEWS NOW weather page
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