Strong winds buffeting Southland and Otago are beginning to ease, as the wild weather makes its way up to Canterbury.
Wind gusts of up to 100km/h have been recorded in Southland today, and parts of Otago received gusts of up to 90kmh.
The worst of the wind was on Stewart Island, where gusts reached 150km/h.
MetService meteorologist Chris Noble said the weather system would move to Canterbury overnight, but it wouldn't be as severe there.
Heavy rain was also falling over Fiordland today, and that was expected to move over Westland overnight.
MetService has now downgraded its severe weather warning for much of the South Island to a severe weather watch.
