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12.14 MetService has lifted strong wind warnings for Hawkes Bay, the Coromandel Peninsula and the Kaimai Range, western Bay of Plenty, higher parts of the central plateau and Mt Taranaki.
Winds are expected to ease over the North Island this afternoon and no further gales are expected.
Click here for MetService warnings.
11.56The wet weather continues to trigger slips along State Highways in the North Island.
SH1 is down to one lane at Irirangi south of Waiouru following a large slip this morning. Contractors are currently at the site clearing the road.
The slip follows another this morning between Taihape and Utiku on the same road, which also blocked one lane.
11.24 Auckland Zoo says the severe weather may have played a part in the birth of a new zebra.
The 36kg baby was born in the early hours of Tuesday morning amid heavy rain and gale-force winds.
Stormy weather in the wild was the perfect time for zebra to give birth as it helped disguise the smell of birth from predators, Auckland Zoo pridelands team leader Nat Sullivan said.
"Mum is doing exactly as she should - being very protective of her newborn.
"It's incredible to witness just how quickly and strongly they bond, and impressive to see how lively this foal is. We think this stormy weather might have played a part."
10.30am Police have warned drivers to expect delays on State Highway 1 between Taihape and Utiku, where a large slip has blocked the northbound lane.
Contractors are working to clear the road.
10.20 MetService is predicting more bad weather for tomorrow.
A severe weather watch is in place tomorrow for Fiordland, the ranges of Westland and Buller, coastal Southland and south Otago, inland Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington, Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay south of Napier.
MetService forecasts yet another front to cross the South Island tomorrow and the lower North Island on Saturday morning, bringing further west to northwest gales to exposed places and a period of heavy rain to the West Coast.
The strongest winds are again likely about inland Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington, Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay south of Napier as well as about coastal Southland and South Otago.
There is a risk of the winds reaching severe gale in exposed parts of these areas.
MetService also expects a period of heavy rain about the West Coast during Friday, with amounts about the ranges possibly reaching warning criteria.
The watch for heavy rain for areas from Waikato to the Manawatu has been lifted, although further showers are still expected today.
8.49 MetService has issued a severe weather warning for Hawkes Bay, Waikato, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay Of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo, Taihape, Taranaki, Taumarunui, Otago, Southland, Wellington, Marlborough, and Wairarapa.
It says a fast moving front crossing the central North Island is bringing a brief spell of squally showers and west to northwest gales to the area. There is a possibility of gusts of 120 km/h about exposed areas from the Coromandel Peninsula and western Bay of Plenty down to Taranaki, the central North Island high country and Hawkes Bay south of Napier until about midday. These winds should then gradually ease during the afternoon.
Winds of this strength have the potential to damage trees, powerlines and insecure structures and make driving conditions hazardous, especially for high sided vehicles and motorcycles.
The winds have eased over the Marlborough Sounds, Wellington and Wairarapa and the warning is lifted for these areas.
MetService says the southwest gales over coastal Southland and South Otago are also easing, as are the snow showers about inland areas. The warnings for these areas have been lifted, although further lighter snow showers are still expected until mid-afternoon and that conditions are still likely to be stressful for livestock, especially newborn
Click here for the warnings in full.
8.40am The severe weather that has hit the North Island over the past week is suspected to have claimed the life of 64-year-old Gerald Foster.
Mr Foster climbed onto the roof of his Rotorua engineering works on Friday night to fit a cable and fell 3.5m to the ground. He died in Rotorua Hospital later that evening after being found by an employee.
Mr Foster's partner of six years Jennifer Watson said there were gusts of wind and it was raining as well at the time.
She said a heart attack had been ruled out and he might have slipped or been blown off the roof.
- NZPA
8.30am The NZTA continues to warn motorists that "extreme winter driving conditions" exist in the region. It says extreme care is required due to heavy snow and black ice.
South Island road closures
Snow has closed State Highway 7 (SH7) from the Hanmer turnoff to Springs Junction, State Highway 87 from Outram to Kyeburn, SH1 from Waitati to Dunedin and SH93 from Clinton to Mataura.
State Highway 85 from Palmerston to Kyeburn is closed due to ice.
Snow has created an avalanche hazard on State Highway 94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound and the road will remain closed today and all day Friday.
Snow has closed State Highway 73 from Arthurs Pass to Otira to towing vehicles and chains are essential.
Motorists are advised to take caution due to high winds on SH8 from Raes Junction to Milton, SH1 from Waihola to Gore, SH90 from Raes Junction to the SH1 intersection.
Rockfalls have also closed SH74 in Christchurch at the Heathcote Valley Off ramp and a detour via the Port Hills Road is in place.
North Island road closures
Motorists are warned to watch for ice and grit on the Central Plateau especially in shaded areas and on bridge decks.
State Highway 21 at Hamilton's Narrows Bridge is closed for repairs. The NZTA says high river levels mean it cannot check erosion and the bridge has been closed as a safety precaution.
A detour is in place via Hamilton or Cambridge.
Motorists are advised to use caution in many areas due to slips. Click here for further details.
8.10 Wild weather is continuing to cause havoc in the central North Island, with more powerlines brought down overnight.
Powerco said about 3500 customers across Manawatu, Taranaki, Rangitikei and western Bay of Plenty were without power this morning.
"The severe winds have come through as forecast and caused trees and branches to tear down overhead lines across the country from around 3am this morning," network operations manager Phil Marsh said this morning.
"The weather conditions are forecast to ease today and we expect to restore power to the majority of affected customers by the end of the day barring further damage to the network."
Nearly 80,000 households across the area have been affected by weather-related power cuts since last Friday.
5.30am Farmers are urging the Government to declare parts of South Otago and Southland an adverse event zone, describing six days of blizzards the worst spring storm in living memory.
Agriculture Minister David Carter will visit Southland today to see the disaster for himself, and Federated Farmers adverse events spokesman David Rose said the visit should help him decide about the declaration application.
