Severe thunderstorm warning for Kaipara, Auckland after rain passes over Far North

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Kaipara and Auckland.

A red alert went out for Kaipara, Auckland City, Waitakere, Franklin, Rodney, Gulf and Albany about 3pm.

MerService says torrential rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous.

A band of heavy rain passing over the top of the Far North has so far caused no significant flooding, Kaitāia's fire chief says.

In fact, Craig Rogers said every farmer in the district and every homeowner relying on rainwater tanks would be delighted with the downpour after an unusually dry spring so far.

"We've had a good bit of warm rain, with thunder mixed in. It's not enough but the farmers will be happy."

Rogers said the rain peaked around 1pm and had now eased to showers.

The rain was light enough now that he was able to go back to his golf after taking shelter at the proverbial 19th hole.

"We just sat it out," he said.

Around 2pm the MetService rain radar showed the band of heavy rain making its way south over Northland with particularly intense falls over Doubtless Bay, inland from the Bay of Islands and over the Kaipara Harbour.

A severe thunderstorm watch is in place for all of Northland and Auckland until 9pm Friday, and again from midnight until 11am on Saturday.

Saturday's severe thunderstorm watch also applies to Aotea-Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupō and Taranaki.

Northland Regional Council rainfall data shows the heaviest rain so far, 30mm per hour, was recorded near Pawarenga in North Hokianga in the hour to 1pm.

Further south, Hakaru, near Kaiwaka, and the often dry Pouto Peninsula, both in the Kaipara District, were also experiencing heavy rain.