Weather

Dunedin has again shown its reputation as a cold, wet and windy city is unfounded.

Strong winds have made their impact felt across the South, cutting power, downing lines and prompting skifield closures.

At the moment over New Zealand there is a strong west to northwesterly airflow and it is likely to last through to the weekend when winds change more west to southwesterly on Sunday.

Several houses in northern Auckland have been flooded as heavy rain pounds much of the country this morning.

A severe weather warning has been issued for the north and west coast of the South Island as heavy rain lashes the regions today and tomorrow.

Bad weather forecast for next week will not last long and will not be as intense as recent events, MetService spokesman Dan Corbett says.

All rural roads in Waitaki are effectively off-limits to motorists today, after the Waitaki District Council issued a no non-essential travel notice.

Heavy rain resulted in a large slip that blocked one lane of Portobello Rd, near Portobello, last night.

Temperature extremes provided for a mild, dry Otago last month, and Queenstown experienced its sunniest July in about 80 years.