Heavy rain has caused flooding around Wellington city this morning, with manhole covers reportedly being blown out on some roads.
The Fire Service said crews were responding to multiple flooding incidents in the inner city, with Newtown, Kilbirnie and Lyall Bay the worst affected.
Wellington City Council has received more than 150 calls about flooding this morning.
The council advised motorists to use extreme caution and, if possible, avoid driving until the heavy rain eases.
Flooding is affecting streets in the CBD, Kilbirnie, Brooklyn, Newtown, Island Bay, Melrose, Hataitai, Lyall Bay, Wilton and Karori.
There have also been reports of surface water entering businesses in the CBD, the council said.
Significant flooding in the Basin Reserve area had led to traffic is building up along Kent Terrace as far as Oriental Parade.
Motorists were asking to avoid the area if possible, and use alternative streets such as Wallace Street and Taranaki Street.
There are reports of manhole covers being blown out on some roads, including Karori Rd.
Fire Service communications said nine trucks were in the city responding to flooding calls.
Metlink has posted a warning on its website that bus services have been affected by the weather causing delays in the CBD.
Meanwhile, more than 1000 homes are without power after wild weather in Auckland last night.
Power was still out this morning in at 800 homes in Bethells Beach, 126 in Helensville and one in Waimauku, Vector spokeswoman Sandy Hodge said.
They are unable to be reconnected until tree clearing begins at first light, she said.
Power had also been cut in other parts of Auckland overnight including Orere Point and New Lynn.
"Crews have just been flat out all night and it's been atrocious conditions."
An Auckland fire communications spokesman said the Fire Service had been called to about 20 weather-related jobs overnight.
Fire Service shift commander Jarron Phillips says they've been to a dozen calls to trees down.
"Some trees blocking roads, some trees getting tangled in power lines, predominantly in west Auckland.
"A tree came down and blocked Waitakere Road and got tangled in power lines out there."
The early hours of the morning have also seen trees crash onto two homes in Henderson and Glen Eden, but the damage is not thought to be severe.
A tree came down on power lines in Swanson, and there were reports of power lines arcing in various parts of the city.
There have also been a couple of calls to areas of the Far North.
The heavy winds and rain that have lashed Northland and Auckland are expected to ease but that doesn't mean the sun will be out straight away.
"There's an active low pressure tracking west of the North Island and that is expected to cross the North Island [today] and then move away," MetService forecaster Liz Walsh said.
As soon as that was over, a cold southerly flow would spread across the country. It was moving up the South Island last night and should reach the upper North Island by this evening.
The storms over Auckland and Northland overnight were expected to clear, with the strong winds easing about noon today.
"There is still a risk of thunderstorms but it will be easing trend from what we've had over the weekend."
WeatherWatch said winds were still gusting up to 70km/h in Auckland city in exposed places this morning, and averaging between 30-40km/h.
Heavy rain has caused flooding and slips along 5km of State Highway 1 between Blenheim and Seddon.
The worst areas are Weld and Dashwood Passes, and the road is down to one lane in places, Blenheim police said.
NZTA have crews in the area but it is unknown when the flooding and slips will be cleared.
A severe weather warning remains in place this morning, with heavy rain forecast for eastern parts of the South Island, and severe gales expected for Auckland, Northland, Fiordland and southern Westland.
