KEY POINTS:
Wild wind and rain which lashed the lower North Island overnight continued to cause havoc today, with slips closing several roads in the region.
North Islanders can expect a chilling first day of summer tomorrow with a cold southerly.
Wind ripped the roofs off four houses in the Wellington region overnight and the fire service was called to two homes in Kilbirnie, one in Johnsonville and one just outside of Wellington.
Wellington police Inspector Peter Stokes said a large slip had blocked State Highway 4 at Tapuwahine -- about 10 Km north of Taumaranui today.
The slip covered both lanes and road work crews were working to try to clear the highway, he said.
Mr Stokes said a number of slips along the highway had been reported and he warned motorists to expect long delays while the slips were being cleared.
Mr Stokes said rising levels of the Hutt River were threatening the Rutherford St car park, which flanked the river.
Police had received reports that river had been rising and cars parked in the car park, could encounter problems.
Severe wind warnings for Wellington, the Wairarapa, Taranaki and Hawke's Bay were lifted this afternoon, but heavy rain was expected to pelt the eastern Bay of Plenty with up to 25mm of rain an hour tonight.
Rain was heaviest in Taranaki, where low-lying areas suffered 60mm to 70mm in the 24 hours up until 2pm yesterday. Areas further north near Port Waikato had around 40mm of rainfall in the same period.
State Highway 43, near Taumaranui, flooded and closed just after midday while a slip at Bryants Bridge, 8km east of Palmerston North, reduced the road to one lane.
Exposed areas in and around Wellington recorded gusts of up to 148km/h, while snow fell on the hills around Christchurch and Queenstown, and in central Otago.
The regions of Queenstown and Wanaka had about a month's rainfall (60mm) in a 24-hour period, pushing the water level of Lake Wakatipu to breaking point.
Otago Regional Council environmental information and science director John Threlfall said based on the forecast for today, Queenstown should escape flooding.
"[It is] a rising lake level peaking at 311m [above sea level] - it's at 310.8m at the moment.
"Flooding in the town should be above that, so we're not predicting any flooding in the town, but we're keeping careful watch on it."
Mr Threlfall said the rain looked to be turning around from the southwest, which meant Queenstown should not be getting as much.
The forecast for the next couple of days was looking good he said.
River flows were also high in the area, but water levels should stay within floodbanks, he said.
"But we're not taking our eyes off it just yet."
And the last day of spring will leave South Islanders not sorry to see it go as snow warnings have been issued by the MetService.
The Lindis Pass and Porters Pass saw snow.
- NZHERALD STAFF, NZPA
