Wild weather hits Wellington: Warnings in place as strong winds sweep across lower North Island

There were strong winds on the Remutaka range overnight. The road is now open. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Trampolines have been flying through the air as strong winds sweep across the lower North Island.

A strong wind warning is in place for Wellington and Wairarapa today with northwesterly gusts reaching 120km/h.

Fire and Emergency NZ shift commander Belinda Beets says crews have been busy overnight with callouts to Island Bay, Aro Valley, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Carterton.

Be careful today, especially in the Wellington and Wairarapa regions where northwest winds might push you off balance. At 7am, winds at the top of the Rimutaka Hill Road were westerly 89 gusting 137km/h while on the coast at Cape Turnagain it was westerly 117 gusting 170km/h💨^AB

— MetService (@MetService) September 14, 2020

She says around 1.20am a trampoline took flight in Stokes Valley - but they managed to capture it and return it to its owner.

Another tramp flew through a window in Carterton but was retrieved and secured.

Beets says power lines also came down in Carterton and the Hutt Valley, a railway arm was bent in the wind in Wairarapa, and they helped secure loose roofing iron in a number of Wellington suburbs.

UPDATE 7:40AM, TUE 15 SEP #SH2 Remutaka Hill has been CLOSED between Upper Hutt and Featherston, due to gusts over 140km/h. An update is due by 8am. Please be patient as there will be DELAYS on either side of the hill. ^IF pic.twitter.com/gOIXPC3wF9

— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) September 14, 2020

There's also disruption on the water this morning with Wellington harbour ferries running to a restricted timetable due to the wind.

Remutaka Hill Road has since reopened after being closed due to wind gusts of more than 140km/h.