Wild weather returned to parts of the South, bringing rain, thunder and hail on Boxing Day.
Several weather watches were issued as thunderstorms were forecast for the southeast of the South Island and the upper North Island.
A severe thunderstorm watch remained in place for the Canterbury High Country, North Otago, Central Otago, Dunedin, Clutha and Southland from 1pm until 8pm today.
MetService had forecast the possibility of hail larger than 20mm in these areas.
The severe weather breezed through Dunedin, bringing thunder, lightning and hail which fell in parts of the city including Kenmure in the afternoon.
But it was over pretty quickly and by 6pm the sun was shining again in blue sky.
Earlier in the evening, MetService had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of South Otago and Southland.
At 5.30pm, the forecaster said its weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near Balclutha, Owaka, Clinton, Clydevale, Tuapeka Mouth and Waiwera South.
These thunderstorms were moving towards the southeast, and were expected to lie near Balclutha, Nugget Point, Owaka, Kaitangata, Kaka Point and offshore Nugget Point from 6pm to 6.30pm.
In South Otago, hail pelted Balclutha, Kaitangata and blanketed the Papoatowai Highway, while dramatic lightning was also seen in the area.
The forecaster also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Gore, Clutha and Southland at 4.55pm, expected to last for about an hour.
The weather radar had detected severe thunderstorms near Catlins State Forest Park, Clinton and Waipahi.
The wild weather follows yesterday's heavy downpour and thunderstorms, in which 200 lightning strikes hit Dunedin and Clutha on Christmas Day evening.
Flooding in North Island
Heavy rain made its way up the country, causing flooding in parts of the North Island.
MetService said Taranaki and the town of Hāwera, in particular, had been hardest hit.
It issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua from 2pm until 8pm today.
Bay of Plenty and Gisborne were also under a watch from 7pm until 11pm.
MetService said the downpours could bring hourly rainfall amounts of 25mm to 40mm an hour.
- Allied Media and RNZ
