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Much of the South Island is being lashed by heavy rain and severe gales as an active front moves up the country.
MetService meteorologist Samkelo Magwala said a wind gust of about 200kmh was recorded at Mount Hutt, Canterbury, around 8am on Monday.
Further south, the Milford Road (State Highway 94) has been closed owing to the extreme nature of the weather.
Meanwhile, in Wellington police have closed a central road due to high wind gusts.
A spokesperson said a stretch of Oriental Parade and Evans Bay Parade was being shut following reports of multiple people falling off bicycles and wing mirrors being blown off cars.
Fire officials said crews had dealt with several wind-related callouts, including material falling from buildings and downed power lines.
Multiple warnings are in place across the South Island, as the severe weather moves in at the end of the long weekend.
MetService has issued orange heavy rain warnings for Fiordland and the headwaters of Otago lakes and rivers for Monday, along with orange strong wind warnings for Otago, Fiordland, Southland and Stewart Island.
A heavy rain watch is also in place for areas of the Queenstown Lakes District, Southland and Stewart Island.
MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden earlier said gusts of up to 120kmh could be expected in exposed places in Otago throughout the day.
Towards the end of the day, most of Otago would likely see some periods of rain as a front progressed over the region.
Temperatures in Dunedin were expected to peak at up to 26°C just after noon and then drop rapidly along with the rain.
“By midnight, you're looking at around 10°C, and then the following day remains around that 10°C mark for much of the day.”
Queenstown was expected to get more rain than coastal areas, from about noon through to early Tuesday morning.
The Crown Range and more exposed areas might get quite windy, Mr Lynden said.
Those travelling on motorcycles or in camper vans and other high-sided vehicles in particular should be wary.
The West Coast would be the hardest hit by the rain; rising rivers and streams could be expected with potential for flooding, Mr Lynden said.
Clear skies were expected before dawn on Tuesday, with Queenstown and Wānaka expected to have highs of about 15°C.
Dunedin could expect highs of 11°C-12°C through Tuesday.