Watch: Tornado appears to rip through paddocks in Waikato

There are reports of small tornados in the North Island, as severe thunderstorm and heavy rain watches remain in place for the top half of the country and upper South Island.

One tornado happened near Orewa, north of Auckland, at about 7pm.

Local MP Mark Mitchell - who is also Emergency Management Minister - put a post up on Facebook asking anyone affected to contact him if needed.

One household in Red Beach did, which he has gone to see.

"It sounds like we've had one of these small tornados that has sort of been very concentrated in and around the Red Beach area," Mitchell said.

"We've just popped round to make sure they're ok, put a couple of tarps on the roof to keep the house dry and they've got repair people coming on Saturday.

"It was obvious it has come through two properties, there was damage to the property behind and also the one on the main street had some of the roof pulled off as well."

People home at the time described noisy and intense wind and then went outside to find the damage.

The second reported tornado was seen near the Waikato town of Ōtorohanga.

Luke Care and his wife live in Maihiihi, near the town, and he said the tornado formed very quickly.

The first thing they noticed was the power going out.

"And I looked out the window and holy smokes, there's this giant tornado ripping through the neighbour's property, it's quite scary actually," he said.

He told RNZ it looked like a small water spout at first, and when he grabbed his camera it accelerated and "formed just a full on tornado".

"You could see it picking up tree limbs and bits of corrugated iron and as it passed over a trough it just sucked all the water out of it as it was moving through.

"We're a little but worried about what next," he said.

"Is another one going to form or are we at risk of them?"

The tornado carried on up into mountains and then faded off in the distance, Care said.

He and his were "luckily" about a kilometre from it when they filmed it. "I would have hated it for it to be any closer," he said.

"And it just by pure luck it seemed to pick a path between houses and sheds and the neighbour's cow shed was there with all the cows on the yard, it would have been pretty chaotic if it had gone through there."

"You wouldn't have wanted to be underneath it I don't think," he said.

Fire and Emergency said it had not responded to any callouts in relation to the reported tornados.

Rain and thunder

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 110 millimetres expected.

Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Gisborne, and Hawke's Bay's remain under severe thunderstorm watches until early Friday morning.

Heavy rain has also lashed the top of the South, with an orange warning for northern parts of Marlborough that expired late Thursday afternoon.

The Transport Agency (NZTA) was warning road users travelling north of Kaikōura Thursday night to drive with caution due to flooding on State Highway 1.

Following the heavy rain, flooding had been reported across both lanes near Washdyke Stream Bridge, between Waipapa Bay and Kekerengu.

Contractors were are travelling to the site to check the condition of the road, NZTA said.

Earlier, surface flooding was also reported across both lanes on SH1 near Mangamaunu, and the intersection with Kiwa Road.

Rain watches were in place on Thursday across Nelson, Tasman, and southern Marlborough, including the Kaikōura Coast.

Marlborough District Council said Marlborough Sounds, Richmond Ranges, Rai Valley, Blenheim, Seddon and Ward residents were to expect 60 to 90 millimetres of rain on top of what had already fallen earlier in the day.

It warned people travelling in the region to be cautious of slips and flooding.

Heavy Rain Watches and Warnings, ⚡Thunderstorms and Downpours⛈️

⛈️The risk of downpours due to thunderstorms is there for all of the North Island and very top of the South Island, with the exception of Gisborne and northern Hawke's Bay.

⚡This means that on top of Heavy… pic.twitter.com/RKNvsuWwIx

— MetService NZ (@MetService) January 14, 2026

Beware of localised downpours

MetService meteorologist Katie Lyons told RNZ the severe thunderstorm watches could be upgraded.

"There's a lot going on around the country, I think something that could catch people out today are just those localised downpours in one area.

"And watch out for those thunderstorm warnings," she said.

MetService said people should make sure their drains and gutters are clear before the heavy rain hits.

It also warned travellers to driving cautiously with difficult driving conditions likely.

Surface flooding in Wellington

Some roads in the Wellington region were already showing signs of flooding.

Porirua City Council said there were reports of rising water levels water on parts of Mana Esplanade and Warspite Avenue.

While the roads were not closed at this point, the council was encouraging people to exercise caution driving in those areas.

The heavy rain was expected to ease in the region after 4pm Thursday afternoon.

There was also some flooding along State Highway Two at Ngauranga in Wellington and in Lower Hutt.

Police were helping to direct traffic, with culverts overflowing onto the road.

Road closures or delays possible - NZTA

A New Zealand Transport Agency spokesperson said motorists should drive with care, maintain safe following distances and slow down, to help keep everyone safe.

"Our crews will be closely monitoring the state highways while these watches and warnings are in place.

"Those who are travelling on the roads should be aware of possible flooding, especially in low-lying areas and near rivers, slips, fallen trees, reduced visibility and hazardous driving conditions, and potential road closures or delays."

The heavy rain could cause potholes to form or worsen, creating additional hazards for drivers, the spokesperson said.

They also said travellers should be mindful of contractors who may be out clearing hazards off the road.

There are currently no reports from NZTA of state highway closures due to weather.

Both Air New Zealand and Jetstar said there were no flight disruptions or cancellations at this stage.

The airlines encouraged customers to check the status of their flight online or via their apps for the latest updates.

Good news for some

Fire and Emergency New Zealand are welcoming the rain with open arms, but remain cautious that a few downpours alone will not change fire risk conditions.

Fire bans and restrictions span across much of the country as the risk of wildfire intensified due to the recent hot and dry weather.

Wildfire manager Tim Mitchell told RNZ the rain was "absolutely" welcomed, particularly to drier high risk areas like Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa.

Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa are under a total fire ban due to dry conditions, with specific zones requiring permits for any outdoor burning.

Mitchell said fire risks remained in place and restrictions could not be removed until grass in drier regions turned green.

"We are hoping for steady rain over a long period of time to reduce fire risk, but heavy down pours may not change conditions."

Mitchell said flooding also posed a risk to drier areas because the hard ground struggled to soaked up the rain water.

People should also be mindful that lightning strikes could start wildfires, but in contrast to Australia, New Zealand's lightning is associated with rain, he said.

"Residents should take extra care around flood waters and when driving, keeping a good travelling distance, and double check the checkitsalright website."

The spell of rain and thunderstorms looks to pass for much of the country moving into the weekend.

For more information on preparing and keeping safe during a storm, visit Civil Defence Get Ready website.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.