Midday Report

In Levin, residents were woken by torrential hail nearly the size of golf balls, and what they are describing as a tornado.

MetService says it recorded a wind gust of 140 kilometres per hour in Levin, and it's asking for any footage or pictures of this morning's storm so it can definitively say whether it was indeed a tornado or a thunderstorm collapsing in on itself. 

The forecaster also detected nearly 11,000 lightning strikes between midnight and 7-o'clock. 

Further north, Waikato and Auckland were whipped by strong winds and thunderstorms, temporarily closing the Harbour Bridge.  

RNZ senior reporter Ruth Hill spoke to Māni Dunlop from Levin's main street.

Levin wakes up to weather chaos, and we learn more about what's in this year's Budget.

This afternoon, New Zealanders will learn what the government's dishing out in this year's budget.

Health is expected to be the big-ticket item today with the reforms taking up a decent chunk of the $6 billion package of new spending.

RNZ reporter Jean Edwards told Charlotte Cook what she was hearing from people in Ōtautahi, Christchurch.

In other news, Antarctica New Zealand wants your input on the Scott Base redevelopment by choosing the building's colour.

Designers are offering the options of kākāriki green, karaka orange and kikorangi blue.

At the moment kākāriki has more than half of all the votes in the online poll.

The Scott Base redevelopment project director Jon Ager told Charlotte Cook how they whittled the colours down to three.

News from the rural and farming sector.

30-year-old Misha Koudinov will head a seven-strong New Zealand contingent at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The first hint of winter has arrived, and a series of storm fronts will sweep the country over the coming days.

Parts of Bay of Plenty, Westland and Fiordland are under a heavy rain warning, with up to 90 millimetres of rain expected to fall today.

And some frosty temperatures are expected to follow, as a cold southerly moves in with snow expected to settle on some of the alpine passes and the Desert Road from tomorrow.

MetService forecaster Lewis Ferris spoke to Charlotte Cook.

It's Budget Day - the big day for the Finance Minister Grant Robertson who makes the calls on where the money goes.

We already have some idea of what's in the budget, with about 10 early announcements on new spending in mental health, transport and climate change.

But the bulk of the detail will be released at 2-o'clock this afternoon.

Charlotte Cook spoke to University of Auckland senior political lecturer Dr Lara Greaves.

All eyes on the Budget, but will it help those hurting as the cost of living rises.