Strong winds buffeting much of the country. Photo: 123RF
Heavy rain and severe gales are battering large parts of the country causing power outages and flights to be cancelled, while heavy snow falls in the south.
Power has now been restored to the Buller District except for two houses on Orowaiti Road.
At about 6pm, lines company Buller Electricity reported via social media that the entire Buller District was without power.
The main line into Westport was cut off, it said. However, at about 8.30pm it reported power was back on in the region.
Power remained off for some Marlborough residents at 9.30pm on Tuesday but the local network company was unsure how many properties were affected.
Marlborough Lines said customers in Duncan Bay, Penzance and Tuna Bay had lost electricity because of damage to the network.
Crews were working to repair the problem and power would be restored as soon as it was safe to do so, it said.
Winds gusting up to 130kmh have downed power lines causing hundreds of people near Dunedin to lose power.
Earlier today Aurora Energy said more than 600 customers were without power at different times in Allantown, Outram, Momona, Dalmore, Gardens and Signal Hill. However, by 8.30pm there were no power outages registered.
Motorists attending the FIFA Women's World Cup game in Dunedin on Tuesday night were being told to take care as driving conditions might be hazardous.
Queenstown Airport said four flights had been cancelled and another one had been diverted to Christchurch due to the weather. The wind took also the roof off a building at the Taieri Aerodrome.
In the Clutha District, high winds are bringing down branches on road. The Clutha District Council urged motorists to travel carefully and said it would remove any trees as soon as it could.
MetService has issued orange strong wind warnings for Wairarapa, Wellington, Marlborough, Canterbury High Country and the lower South Island.
A heavy rain watch is in place for Canterbury and Otago headwaters and Westland ranges. Heavy snow watches are in place overnight for the lower South lsland.
Snow and ice is affecting several roads in the South Island with the Milford Road remaining closed due to the avalanche risk. Snow is affecting key alpine roads in the central and southern South Island.
Waka Kotahi said the fast-moving southerly front making its way up the South Island was creating windy and dangerous conditions for motorcyclists and high-sided vehicles.
Chains were needed on the Crown Range Road and the road to Milford Sound would stay closed overnight because of heavy snow.
The agency said snowy conditions had eased on the Lindis Pass and chains were no longer required.
Waka Kotahi said snow may still fall tonight along State Highway 8 at Burkes Pass between Tekapo and Fairlie, on the highway to Mt Cook and on SH79 - the road between Geraldine and Fairlie.
There was a rising avalanche risk on SH94 into Milford Sound, the agency said.
The road was unlikely to reopen until a helicopter could carry out avalanche control work on Wednesday.
Snow is forecast for the Arthurs, Porters and Lewis Passes and the highway to Akaroa into Wednesday.
MetService has issued road snowfall warnings for Desert Road in the North Island and in the south for Lewis Pass, Arthur's Pass, Porters Pass, the Dunedin to Waitati Highway, and the Milford Road.
