16/01/2026
This week, reports of small tornadoes have emerged across the North Island, with severe thunderstorm and heavy rain watches in place for the upper North Island and the upper South Island.
One sighting was captured by Luke Care from Maihiihi, who captured incredible footage of what appears to be a tornado ripping through paddocks near Ōtorohanga.
He said it formed in a flash after the power went out and at first like a small waterspout, then a full-on funnel twisting through the neighbour’s land, picking up tree limbs and even corrugated iron before fading into the hills.
