Periods of lightning, thunder, hail and heavy rain swept the city from 3.30pm.
MetService forecaster Gerard Bellam said Dunedin had ‘‘the most exciting weather in the country’’, as it received the brunt of the thunderstorms. Lightning strikes were also recorded in the Catlins and off the coast of Oamaru.
The thunderstorms were caused by a southwesterly front coming through.
The first cells began forming west of Dunedin about 3.30pm and the first lightning strikes occurred about 4pm, he said.
By 7.15pm, there had been 336 strikes.
He said the large number of lightning strikes was uncommon for the Otago and Southland area in December.
Three inbound flights from Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland were diverted last night and two outbound flights were disrupted — one delayed and another cancelled.
An Aurora Energy spokeswoman said about 12 customers were without power for a time in Glenelg St, Bradford, following a lightning strike. Power was later restored.
Three homes in Stenhope Cres, Corstorphine, were without power following a separate lightning strike, she said.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said firefighters from Dunedin Central were called after lightning struck a power pole outside a house in Glenelg St at 5pm.
She said at 6.10pm, firefighters were called to Stenhope Cres, after a lightning strike.
Temperatures were expected to drop across the South today — Dunedin is expected to reach 16degC.
