Batten down the hatches ... again

Severe gales should affect Canterbury and Marlborough from early morning, then spread north. Photo / Greg Bowker

Weather forecasters are predicting severe gales and heavy rain in much of the country today.

A deep low just to the south of the South Island prompted MetService to issue a severe weather warning. It said the low should bring bursts of heavy rain to western parts of both islands.

Severe gales should affect Canterbury and Marlborough from early morning, then spread north to parts of the North Island, it said.

Yesterday, a roof was still missing in South Taranaki after severe weather battered much of the country on Tuesday night.

A small tornado tore through Opunake, southwest of New Plymouth, around 7.30pm, ripping the entire roof off one house, half the roof off another and part of the roof off the Opunake Players Hall.

Opunake Volunteer Fire Brigade chief Rodney Woods told NZPA the tornado would have been incredibly strong to rip a whole roof off.

"It must have been, because we don't even know where the roof is.

"We found a bit of iron further over town on a couple of properties, but other than that there was just a heap of Pink Batts on the road."

Mr Woods didn't think the roof would be found.

The tornado was part of a band of severe weather that struck much of the country on Tuesday evening and into yesterday morning.

Thunderstorms hit Invercargill to Northland, and torrential rain and hail were reported in Auckland.

MetService weather ambassador, Bob McDavitt said that while the first half of the week had been quite warm, the country would see a return of winter by the end of the week.

"It has been quite spring-like. We predicted two fronts this week and what's coming is the second front. It will be a squally front with quite a lot of energy in it."

Phillip Duncan, head weather analyst for Weatherwatch.co.nz, said the country was heading into the second half of the season.

"June was so settled but now is the other side of winter. It will be unsettled for the rest of July and this generally means it's warmer."