UPDATED 12.23pm: Summer in Hawke's Bay has gone from one extreme to another.

Torrential rain has caused damage to a building in Napier's central city.

The Fire Service was called out to the AMI building in Hastings Street just after 10 o'clock this morning.

A blocked storm-water pipe meant water flooded out the basement of the building, and damaged an internal ceiling.

The Fire Service spent an hour pumping out the water.

The region's been sweltering in recent days with temperatures reaching high 20s and low 30s.

Today's rain has come as a reprieve, with the mercury sitting at 18 degrees.

However, it's also causing a few headaches with drivers, with deep surface flooding around some roads around Napier's industrial area in Onekawa.

Police are urging motorists to take care.