Flights in and out of Wellington are disrupted by weather this morning. Photo Twitter
Around 9.30am Wellington Airport said weather was affecting flights. Several had been cancelled and passengers were advised to check for flight information updates.
MetService said a wind gust of 126kmh was recorded at Mt Kaukau overnight, with an 81kmh gust at Wellington Airport. Shortly after 8.30am it was gusting 100kmh.
The wild winds come as heavy rain continues to drench the West Coast of the South Island.
Overnight heavy rain has deluged Fiordland, the Southern Alps and Westland ranges and is poised to drench Buller and Nelson this morning. A heavy rain warning is also in place for the Tararua Ranges and Mt Taranaki, where up to nine hours of non-stop rain has started falling.
A storm force warning is in place for Cook Strait, where high seas and powerful 100km/h northerly winds will squeeze through the channel this morning.
The worst of the wind was expected in the Canterbury high country, Marlborough and Wellington, which can expect severe gales with gusts of up to 130km/h today.
