The Transport Agency says morning commuters in Wellington may miss the worst of the storm, but they could face a hard journey home.
Commuters in Wellington were told to consider staying home, as the storm is expected to batter the capital.
Highway manager Neil Walker told Morning Report the capital's transport network was prone to flooding in some areas, and that may cause delays later on Tuesday.
"It's really the energy that we have in the harbour round the vessels. So it's the sea and the forecast waves that we've got - the breakwaters will do their job but it's a precautionary measure.
"We're expecting the winds to be strong mid to late afternoon but what is of most interest to us is the high tide early on Wednesday morning so we'll have a review mid to late morning to update the position."
