MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Coromandel, Waikato, the Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga.

This line of severe thunderstorms is moving towards the east and is expected to lie from Mercury Islands to Matakana Islands at 11.07pm and from offshore east of the Coromandel Peninsula to offshore Mt Maunganui to Minginui at 11.37pm.

The thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by torrential rain, which can cause surface and/or flash flooding and make driving conditions extremely hazardous.

The Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been lifted for the Auckland radar area.

In a Facebook post, Auckland Councillor Richard Hills is urging Aucklanders to avoid waterways during the heavy rain.

"Check in on anxious friends, family and neighbours, especially if previously affected by flooding," he said.

"Sadly, today’s MetService's weather watches have tonight turned into severe thunderstorm warnings. You'll be well aware it’s coming down. I hope you’re all doing okay."

Hills said the Wairau catchment was being hit the hardest.

"Over 30mm of rain in the last hour and it’s still coming down. This is the area we are working on for flood prevention projects and people are stressed enough already," he said.

"In New Zealand, MetService classifies a thunderstorm as severe if heavy rain comes down of 25mm/hr or more. We’ve had over 30mm/hr so far.

"These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by torrential rain. Still looks quite aggressive on the radar."

MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Coromandel, Waikato, the Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga.

"This line of severe thunderstorms is moving towards the southeast and is expected to lie from Ngatea to Te Poi to Taupo at 10.22pm and from Waihi to Ngongotaha to Rangitaiki at 10.52pm."

The thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by torrential rain, which can cause surface and/or flash flooding and make driving conditions extremely hazardous.

A North Shore resident said the Wairau Stream has already reached their property fence.

"I think we might be the same as the last flood."

Another person driving through Panmure was struggling to see with the rain.

"Huge deep puddles covering parts of Ellerslie Panmure Highway and surrounding roads," they told the Herald.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued by MetService for Rodney, Gulf, Thames Coromandel, Kaipara, Auckland City, Waikato, Hauraki, Matamata Piako, Whangārei, Franklin, and Albany.

MetService's weather radar detected a line of severe thunderstorms at 9.30pm, stretching from Waipū Cove to Albany to Maramarua.

These thunderstorms are moving towards the east-southeast and are expected to be located from Waiheke Island to Kaihere at 10pm, and from Little Barrier Island to Ponui Island to Paeroa at 10.30pm, which is when the warning lifts.

An east Auckland resident told Newstalk ZB rain was coming down in "torrential sheets" in Whitford.

"I am expecting a power outage at any time."

Multiple North Island residents told Newstalk ZB the extreme weather was wreaking havoc on roads.

A Fonterra tank driver said roads were "very rough" and it was "a wild night".

One central Taranaki resident told ZB he had never seen wind and rain like it.

"It would have to be at least 100km/h horizontal rain."

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued by MetService for several areas in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.

The warning was issued at 9.17pm and is valid until 10.07pm tonight.

The affected areas include South Waikato, Waikato, Hauraki, Matamata-Piako, Hamilton City, Waipā, Waitomo, Taupō, Franklin, Ruapehu, Ōtorohanga and Rotorua.

MetService's weather radar detected a line of severe thunderstorms at 9.07pm, stretching from Bombay to Ngaruawāhia to Tihoi.

These thunderstorms are moving southeast and are expected to be in Waerenga, Matangi,and Taupō by 9.37pm, and in Patetonga, Tīrau, and Iwitahi by 10.07pm.

The thunderstorms are also expected to bring torrential rain, which can lead to surface and flash flooding in streams, gullies and urban areas.

Drivers are warned that the heavy rain can make driving conditions hazardous.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for the Auckland and northern Waikato regions.

MetService says a line of thunderstorms will affect Rodney, Kaipara, Auckland City, Waikato, Hauraki, Matamata-Piako, Franklin and Albany from now until 9.45pm.

"These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by torrential rain, which can cause surface and/or flash flooding and make driving conditions extremely hazardous."