There has been 336 lightning strikes in the South this afternoon and evening, including one that cut power to a Dunedin street and another that hit a house. The thunderstorms had been caused by a southwesterly front coming through this afternoon and the first cells began forming west of Dunedin about 3.30pm, with the first strikes about 4pm. A lightning strike in Corstorphine. This comes as Dunedin has been hit with thunderstorms this afternoon, bringing lightning, hail and periods of heavy rain. On large parts of the West Coast there was a moderate risk of thunderstorms which could also bring heavy rain.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 27, 2019 06:22 UTC