Surprise storm leaves 1000 homes in dark, Peas relocate concert

Around 1000 Auckland households were still without power early this morning after the weekend's violent storm.

Vector spokeswoman Denise Bailey said all customers would be reconnected this morning after a storm that appeared to arrive with little warning.

"Usually MetService tell us there is a storm coming but this time it was more like, 'Hey, it's here'," she said.

"It took everyone a little by surprise."

Some Waitakere and North Shore Vector customers have been without power since Saturday afternoon.

"It's very unfortunate but we're doing the best we can," she said.

The storm on land

Organisers were forced to shift the hip-hop band Black Eyed Peas concert from Ericsson Stadium Supertop after the building was damaged in wind gusts up to 140km/h.

The concert was relocated to Auckland's St James Theatre and held in two sessions because the new venue couldn't accommodate the 5000 ticketholders.

At Paremoremo in West Auckland, market researcher Hayley Bancroft escaped unscathed when gale-force winds sent a tree crashing into the rear of her father's Nissan Bluebird.

She had parked on a grass verge at 2pm to eat her lunch.

"All I could see was the tree coming towards the car, there was no noise or anything," she said.

"I had time to swear and that was about it."

Wind gusts blew roofs off houses and sheds but there were no reports of injury.

Auckland Airport reported wind gusts of up to 100km/h but no flights were cancelled.

The storm on water

The 3000-tonne Spirit of Resolution container ship crashed into the old Mangere Bridge after being caught by a wind gust while being moved by tug to deeper water.

The damage to the bridge and the ship was not serious.

Winds reached 150km/h in the Hauraki Gulf and the Auckland harbourmaster's office reported about 20 boats blown off their moorings.

But while Auckland could get heavy rain and more thunderstorms with some lightning today, conditions should gradually improve during the week, said MetService forecaster Ian Miller.

By Tuesday, the rain should become showers over most of the North Island while in the South Island, rain in Canterbury and further north should gradually clear to showers.

By Wednesday, the North Island should have mostly fine weather with some cloudy periods. In the South Island, showers in the west will turn to rain in Fiordland but it will be mostly dry in the east.

Showers will continue over both islands on Thursday but by Friday it should be mostly fine over much of the country.