Bay of Plenty east of Ōpōtiki has an Orange Heavy Rain Warning in place from now until 5pm Wednesday 11 November. MetService advises that we can expect a further 55 to 75 mm of rain on top of what has already fallen. Thunderstorms and localised downpours are possible, with rainfall intensities of 25 to 40 mm/h. There's a minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning. As always, please stay vigilant. Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.

Inland parts of Bay of Plenty, west of Te Puke including Rotorua are also under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, for a period of 5 hours and 30 minutes, from 2pm - 7:30pm on Wednesday 11 November. There is a moderate risk of SEVERE thunderstorms with localised downpours of 25-40 mm per hour. Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips. Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain. 

There is also a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for South Waikato, Waikato, Matamata Piako, Western Bay of Plenty, Waipa and Rotorua with MetService's weather radar detected severe thunderstorms moving towards the southeast. Torrential rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous. Hail can cause damage to crops, orchards and vines and may make driving conditions hazardous.