A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in place for Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Rotorua and Taupo.

The National Emergency Management Agency advised people to take shelter, preferably indoors and away from windows.

The updated warning is in place until 5.37pm.

Wild weather for Auckland

Auckland is also in the firing line for marble-sized hail, small tornadoes and heavy rain tomorrow as wild weather lashes the country during the first week of summer.

A heavy rain watch is in place for 12 hours in Auckland, stretching all the way down to the upper areas of the Waikato, from 9am.

A strong wind watch is also in place for Northland and Auckland for 10 hours from 8am.

MetService is warning residents that there is a moderate chance for most of the day that there will be thunderstorms embedded with heavy rain, small hail and “a few small tornados”.

MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden said the wild weather is being caused by a low developing over the Tasman Sea today, which would move towards the country this afternoon.

“That low deepens rapidly and pulls a warm, moist, sub-tropical airmass across the country during Tuesday afternoon and evening.

“It’ll bring widespread rain, strong southwesterly winds and the risk of thunderstorms for many parts of the North Island, including Northland, Auckland and Coromandel.”

A heavy rain warning is in place from 2am for 22 hours for the Bay of Plenty. Residents are being told to expect thunderstorms with heavy rain, with peak rates of 5 to 25mm/h, but possibly 25 to 40mm/h in localised areas.

Heavy rain watches are also in place for the central North Island areas of Waitomo, Taumarunui and Taupō, including Tongariro National Park and Taranaki, from the early hours of tomorrow morning for 12 hours.

The same watch is in place for Wairarapa and Wellington from midday for 21 hours.

Strong wind watches are also in place for Wellington and the Kāpiti Coast from 6pm, Wairarapa from 9pm and Taranaki from 10pm tomorrow.

Lynden said while the North Island is expected to bear the brunt of the weather, the South Island will also get its share of lashings.

A trough was expected to bring rain through last night and today, followed by cool southwesterlies.

“The upper parts of the South Island may also see a period of heavier rain on Wednesday associated with the low to the north.”

He said this low was due to move off the country tomorrow night and conditions were expected to ease.

“However, strong to gale southwesterly winds will persist, particularly for Wellington, Wairarapa, Northland and Auckland; they will keep the temperatures capped as we round out the week.”