Strong winds batter Otago

Portobello Rd in Dunedin was blocked by a fallen tree this morning. Photo / Craig Baxter

Gale force winds battered Otago this morning, causing trees to come down, road closures and power outages.

MetService forecasters said the high winds were due to a small low slipping past the far south this morning and were due to ease later today.

At Dunedin airport, gusts got up to gale force level at 90kmh and in the city westerlies have reached gusts of 70kmh.

Southwest winds have reached severe gale level 150kmh at Swampy Summit, one of Dunedin's highest points.

Gusts were also high in Queenstown at 60kmh and at Mid-Dome in Central Southland 120kmh.

Transit New Zealand closed State Highway One from Waitati to Dunedin due to the high winds and trees falling and issued a high wind warning for SH 87 from Outram to Kyeburn. SH 1 was reopened this afternoon but drivers should expect delays.

In Dunedin, Cowan Rd, Pine Hill was closed due to blockages.

New Zealand Fire Service southern communications reported it had received 26 calls from the Dunedin area mostly to do with trees down.

Power companies servicing the greater Dunedin area were also reporting power lines affected by winds and falling trees but it was too early to say how many homes had been affected.

The wind also meant one Air New Zealand flight had to be diverted to Queenstown airport this morning with 59 people on it. They would travel by bus to Dunedin. As a result, the 10.05am flight to Christchurch was cancelled.

Strong gusts also tore down trees and power lines on State Highway 6 at Mossburn, in northern Southland.

Sergeant Peter Graham, of Invercargill, said emergency services had been called to the scene shortly after 12pm.

"Obviously we're going to keep monitoring the situation, because there's some serious wind coming through," he said.

- Otago Daily Times