A slow-moving, extremely localised thunderstorm has battered west Auckland with thick hail.
Hail fills a trampoline in a west Auckland backyard. Photo: Supplied / Mel Bailey-Reeve
MetService said the storm cell was now sitting just north of Albany, heading towards Kaipara harbour.
Residents of Te Atatu and other pockets of west Auckland said on social media the hail began falling just before 1pm and continued unrelenting for up to half an hour.
It's snowing in Auckland...no really just a whole lotta hail pic.twitter.com/bpgk1eqRIB
— Tamara ಠ_ಠ (@hcirePT) October 30, 2016
MetService forecaster Lisa Murray said the storm was isolated and slow-moving.
"The rain gauges in the region have recorded a good 15 millimetres ... likely in 25 to 30 minutes.
"It's just north of Albany now and it's weakening as it goes."
She had not had any good reports of how large the hailstones were but said, from pictures, they appeared to be up to 3mm across.
Weatherwatch said the hailstones were as large as 20-cent pieces in some places.
MetService was forecasting a risk of further thunderstorms this afternoon and evening in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Coromandel, Northland and Taupo.
West Auckland residents said the hail fell for up to half an hour. Photo: Supplied / Mel Bailey-Reeve
