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Winds moving over the country today could be powerful enough to lift roofs, the MetService says.
Northwest gales may generate gusts of 120km/h over inland eastern areas from Southland up to Wellington and the Wairarapa.
Heavy rain is likely in the mountains around Otira on the west coast of the South Island and will possibly reach the head-waters of the rivers in Canterbury and Otago.
"The gales of spring have arrived," MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said.
"The power in these winds is sufficiently strong enough at times to damage trees and powerlines and lift some roofs."
He said that after the spring equinox (when the sun is positioned directly over the earth's equator), which happened at 3.44am today, days were much longer than nights.
The temperature difference between "the tropics and the polar regions" reached its peak at this time of the year and caused the "Roaring Forties" - a name given to the latitudes between 40S and 50S because of the boisterous westerly winds in the area.
Tuesday's front could bring about 200mm of rain in parts of South Westland. Mr McDavitt advised people to keep an eye on rapidly rising rivers and streams.
The front will have moved up to Auckland by tomorrow, bringing periods of rain, but the weather is expected to settle afterwards.
