Bad weather is causing problems in some parts of the country, with the MetService issuing a severe weather warning for southerly gales, heavy snow and heavy rain nationwide.
Traffic into Sumner, Christchurch, was reduced to one-way after a slip overnight closed a section of the main road into the seaside suburb.
About 100cu m of earth fell from The Spur on to Main Road opposite the Sumner Surf Life Saving Club early this morning.
The slip occurred on council reserve land and was the result of the recent heavy rain, Christchurch City Council transport and greenspace manager Alan Beuzenberg said today.
Engineers were on site assessing the damage.
Northern, Central and Southern fire communications spokesmen told NZPA there were no incidents of any note happening in their areas and no storm-related incidents to report.
However, the continuing bad weather in the Wellington region kept all Cook Strait ferries from sailing today.
Bluebridge and Interislander ferry sailings were cancelled as high winds and 4m swells affected the Cook Strait.
About 700 people were stranded on either side of the strait.
It was hoped crossings would begin again tomorrow, when conditions were expected to ease, spokesmen from both companies said.
Wind gusts of up to 140kmh have been hitting the Wellington region, forcing the closure of Blue Mountains Road near Upper Hutt after several power poles were damaged and blocked the road, police said.
Emergency services and council workers were working to clear the area.
Wellington City Council spokesman Richard Maclean told NZPA that aside from tree branches falling on to roads because of the "foul" weather, there were no serious incidents that called for council emergency services.
Mr Maclean said winds were gale force but they had not caused any real trouble.
"City council staff were involved in picking up branches and that's about it." However, power was briefly cut to about 1200 homes in the greater Wellington region after tree branches and debris across power lines knocked out electricity to homes in Ngauranga, Johnsonville and Plimmerton.
Wellington police also advised motorists to avoid the south coast of Wellington.
"Huge waves have been going over the road and leaving debris and stuff. No specific area but the stretch of road around Owhiro Bay and around the airport should be avoided," acting shift commander Stephen Ross told NZPA.
Meanwhile, the MetService has issued a severe weather warning for southerly gales, heavy snow and heavy rain nationwide.
A strong cold southerly airstream was expected to bring snow to the central North Island, with heavy falls of 15-25cm predicted to fall this afternoon and evening.
The Desert Road, State Highway 49 through Ohakune and SH4 through Tongariro National Park were likely to be affected.
Heavy rain was expected this evening for Canterbury to the Kaikoura Coast, southeast of Blenheim, the MetService said.
Severe southerly gales were expected for Banks Peninsula, east of Christchurch, to the Wairarapa, with gusts reaching up to 120kmh at times.
A severe weather watch for heavy rain in Wellington and the Wairarapa all weekend was also issued, with a low expected to bring heavy rain in the coastal hills of the Wairarapa, southern and eastern slopes of the Tararua Ranges, and Wellington.
