Photo: Supplied/MetService
Severe thunderstorm and heavy rain watches are in place for the top half of the country and upper South Island, with surface flooding and slips possible.
MetService is warning people to prepare for localised downpours of 25 to 40 millimetres an hour.
An orange rain warning is in force for Bay of Plenty, including Rotorua, until 11am on Friday, with up to 150 millimetres expected.
Northland, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Taihape, Wanganui, Manawatu, Tararua, Taranaki, Wellington, Wairarapa are all under a severe thunderstorm watch until late on Thursday night, while Auckland, Waikato, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula's watches are in place until early Friday morning.
Heavy rain is also set to las
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