Alert opened: 26 Dec 2025
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
Issued by MetService at 05:39 pm Friday 26 December 2025.
Valid until 06:30 pm Friday 26 December 2025.
This warning affects people in CLUTHA.
At 05:30 pm, MetService weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near BALCLUTHA, OWAKA, CLINTON, CLYDEVALE, TUAPEKA MOUTH and WAIWERA SOUTH.
These severe thunderstorms are moving towards the southeast, and are expected to lie near BALCLUTHA, NUGGET POINT, OWAKA, KAITANGATA, KAKA POINT and OFFSHORE NUGGET POINT at 06:00 pm and near NUGGET POINT, KAITANGATA, KAKA POINT and OFFSHORE NUGGET POINT at 06:30 pm.
These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain, large hail and frequent lightning.
Very heavy rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous.
Large hail can cause significant damage to crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses and vehicles, and make driving conditions hazardous.
Frequent lightning is dangerous to people and livestock, especially those exposed outdoors or on the water, and can cause power surges and damage to electrical equipment.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in force for CANTERBURY HIGH COUNTRY, NORTH OTAGO, CENTRAL OTAGO, DUNEDIN, CLUTHA and SOUTHLAND.
MetService Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Otago
Issued at 8:07am Fri 26 Dec 2025
Area: North Otago, Central Otago, Dunedin, Clutha, Southland
Valid: 7 hours from 1:00pm Fri 26 Dec to 8:00pm Fri 26 Dec
A cold unstable air-mass affects parts of the South Island today. For coastal Canterbury from the Banks Peninsula southwards, eastern Otago and Southland there is a moderate risk of thunderstorms. These storms may become Severe this afternoon and evening with hail, larger than 20mm.
Large hail can cause significant damage to crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses and vehicles, as well as make driving conditions hazardous.
Should severe weather approach or if you feel threatened, take shelter immediately.
Note: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favourable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. People in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and monitor the Metservice website https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home for possible Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.
The National Emergency Management Agency advises that as storms approach, you should:
- Take shelter, preferably indoors away from windows;
- Avoid sheltering under trees, if outside;
- Get back to land, if outdoors on the water;
- Move cars under cover or away from trees;
- Secure any loose objects around your property;
- Check that drains and gutters are clear;
- Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving.
During and after the storm, you should also:
- Beware of fallen trees and power lines;
- Avoid streams and drains as you may be swept away in flash flooding.
Affected districts
Dunedin City has the second largest land area of any New Zealand city, ranging from intensive urban development around the Otago Harbour to sparsely populated high country in Strath Taieri. Dunedin has beautiful built heritage, stunning scenery & unique biodiversity.
Dunedin City can experience storms, flooding, earthquakes, wildfire, infrastructure failure, space weather and has low lying areas that are at risk to tsunami.
For more information about hazards in the Dunedin district, visit Otago Regional Council's natural hazards portal
Being prepared to look after yourself during an emergency will help you, your family and community through times of disruption.
If life or property is at immediate risk, always call 111.
If you need assistance during an emergency, your first point of contact should be family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues, or those immediately around you wherever you are.
During an emergency, information will be available through several channels from Dunedin City Council and Emergency Management Otago.
When an emergency affects the district, the Dunedin City Council will provide information to the community and visitors through a variety of channels, including their website and Facebook pages.
The Council may use traditional media channels like radio and local newspapers to share information if available.
Sign up to Otago Gets Ready to receive alerts.
Radio Dunedin - 1305 AM, 95.4 & 106.7FM
More FM - 97.4 FM
The Hits - 89.4 FM
The Breeze 98.2 FM
Magic Talk - 96.6 FM
Newstalk ZB - 1044AM
RNZ National - 101.4 FM
RNZ National - 810 AM
OAR FM - 105.4 FM, 1575 AM
Leave home only if you are in immediate danger or if you are officially advised to.
Stay inside (unless you are advised to evacuate) if there is a chemical or gas disaster or a storm. Listen to the radio, look at online media channels or TV for information. If the power is off, you can use a radio app on your phone, a solar or battery powered radio or your car radio.
If you need to evacuate, secure your home as though you were going on holiday and turn off power, water, and gas. Ensure each adult in your household knows how to turn these off.
Evacuate if there is:
No one knows a community better than those who live in it!
Community Resilience Groups are a team people in your area who are trained to open and run a Community Emergency hub. They work with Emergency Management Otago to develop community response plans by the community, for the community. They are a great way for the community to come together, discuss and outline how they plan to respond and keep each other safe during an emergency event.
To ensure that Community Resilience Groups have the capability to activate, training can be provided by Emergency Management Otago to cover:
• Community Emergency Hub operations.
• Health and safety requirements
• Status reporting and radio communications.
Contact your local Emergency Management Advisor for further information on creating a community resilience group for your area or to join an existing one.
Emergency Management Otago works with communities across Dunedin to develop capability and resilience within each community so that they can prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Together we have created a series of community resilience guides. These are living documents and are a short, ready-reference guide with information about local hazards and practical tips for preparedness.
Aramoana Community Resilience Guide
Blueskin Bay Community Resilience Guide
Karitane Community Resilience Guide
Lower West Harbour Community Resilience Guide
Mosgiel Taieri Community Resilience Guide
North Dunedin Community Resilience Guide
Otago Peninsula Community Resilience Guide
Outram Community Resilience Guide
Southern Coastal Community Resilience Guide
Saddle Hill Green Island Community Resilience Guide
Southern Urban Dunedin Community Resilience Guide
Strath Taieri Community Resilience Guide
