Severe weather warnings across the North Island

Heavy rain and thunderstorms have been hitting Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Peninsula overnight.
On the Coromandel Peninsula, Metservice has recorded more than 500 lightning strikes since midnight.
There are orange heavy rain warnings in place for the Coromandel until noon, and northern Gisborne until early this evening, while a heavy rain watch is in place for Hawke's Bay and southern Gisborne until four o'clock this afternoon.
Metservice Meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane spoke to Ingrid Hipkins.