Thunderstorms, hail possible in Dunedin

Shoppers doing last-minute Christmas shopping in Dunedin and other parts of the South tomorrow could be interrupted by "severe" thunderstorms.

The MetService says thunderstorms are possible across most of the South Island tomorrow afternoon and evening as a trough moves across the island.

Most of the thunderstorms, if they occurred, could bring localised heavy rain of 10 to 25mm and hail.

However, in eastern parts of Central Otago, Dunedin, North Otago and Canterbury south of about Christchurch, there was a risk of "severe" thunderstorms.

These could bring more than 25mm of rain per hour and hail greater than 20mm in diameter.