KEY POINTS:

• Thames-Coromandel District Council has activated its Emergency Operations Centre.
• Authorities across the North Island are gearing up for widespread damage from 120 km/h winds and torrential rain
• Firefighters have urged campers to leave flood-prone beach areas across Coromandel
• King tides have swamped waterfronts in Auckland and Northland closing roads and flooding reserves.
• Monster 6m swells are set to batter the Far North from 5pm.
• Torrential downpours will hit Auckland this afternoon and gales after dark.
• Power is out in pockets around Auckland due to weather and vehicle crashes.
• For a full wrap, scroll down below the live coverage.

Campers in West Auckland and Coromandel have been told to evacuate or risk being caught up in a monster storm due to hit the region today.

The Thames-Coromandel District Council today activated its emergency operations centre fearing widespread flooding with heavy rain, gales and king tides expected to cause major problems overnight.

Firefighters this morning went to flood-prone areas of the Coromandel urging freedom campers to leave ahead of the forecast deluge.

DoC this morning closed the Pinnacles Hut and issued an evacuation order for all campers in the Kauaeranga Valley.

A similar evacuation notice has gone out to those camping at Piha. Fiona Anderson, who runs the Piha Domain Campground, issued an evacuation notice via its official Facebook page early this morning.

"Evacuate today! There is a massive storm coming. A king high tide at midnight tonight, Thursday 4th January, combined with 4-6m waves, high winds and torrential rain means that the conditions could become dangerous for human life,'' she wrote.

A spokeswoman at Piha Domain said just before 9.30am they were evacuating those still at the site and calling people booked today to let them know the camp was being evacuated.

The weather now was "raining" she said. "There's no wind, but the rain is pretty bad.''

Meanwhile, campers have left the Coromandel early and public holiday events cancelled ahead of the coming storm.

Campers choosing to ride out the storm were busy fastening tents and removing property that risked flying away in hurricane-strength winds.

At the Papa Aroha Holiday Park, north of Coromandel Town, manager Anita Wykes said some people had cut short their holidays, but most campers wanted to stay at the beachfront campground. They were prepared for a pounding, she said.

Awnings had been taken down from caravans and anything that could become airborne had been deflated or tied down.

A plan was in place to evacuate to higher ground if tides and floodwaters threatened the campsite.

In Whangamata, the popular Colour Splash event was cancelled because of heavy rain.

The deep south may not escape bad weather, either.

The Otago Daily Times reports MetService is warning of possible flash flooding and severe thunderstorms across Otago and Southland today.

MetService issued a severe thunderstorm watch this morning covering North Otago, Central Otago, Southern Lakes, Dunedin, Clutha, Southland and Canterbury High Country.

It said the combination of another warm, humid day and light winds would allow scattered heavy showers and thunderstorms to develop over inland parts of the South Island today.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued https://t.co/n5t0keabVi pic.twitter.com/2xwytB9IVv

— Severe Weather Info (@MetServiceWARN) January 3, 2018

About the Canterbury High Country, Otago and inland parts of Southland, some of these thunderstorms were expected to be severe this afternoon and evening, producing localised downpours of 25-40mm/hr.

Rainfall of this intensity could cause flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips.

Driving conditions would also be hazardous, with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.

The thunderstorm activity was expected to die down late evening.

People in the affected areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and monitor for possible severe thunderstorm warnings.