Several Auckland schools have closed and some houses in Northland are flooded after a deluge of heavy rain and lightning hammered the regions this morning.
MetService this morning issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the areas of Kaipara, Far North, Whangārei and Rodney and a severe thunderstorm watch was already in force for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula.
Just after 1.30pm today, MetService lifted all of its severe thunderstorm warnings and watches. Find the latest weather warnings here.
More than 9000 lightning strikes were recorded in the Auckland and lower Northland regions, with more than 700 in the space of five minutes earlier this morning.
Look back at how the morning unfolded with RNZ's live updates:
Meanwhile, five people are missing and a significant search and rescue operation is under way off the North Cape at the top of the North Island.