Wild weather warning after truck blown over

Rimutaka Hill Road, SH2, has been closed due to high winds until further notice.

Wind gusts of up to 140kmh have been reported so far and the Met Service advise conditions are expected to get worse before subsiding later today.

SH2 north of Masterton, specifically the Mt Bruce area remains open but motorists on bikes or in high sided vehicles are warned against travelling this road due to the conditions.

The wild weather caused a truck to be blown over on State Highway 2 near the Mt Bruce Bird Sanctuary just before 10am, north of Masterton, however the driver was not injured, Wellington police Acting Inspector Bruce Mackay said.

"It's going to require a crane and we've got to make a decision whether it's a sensible decision to try that today.

"Bearing in mind it blew over in the first place, trying to lift it with a crane might not be an option."

A large tree has also come down onto State Highway 2 near Tauherenikau, south of Masterton.

Other weather-related incidents included a driver of a motor vehicle crossing the Rimutaka Hill reported being blown completely around by a gust.

A severe weather warning is in place for the Wairarapa region with "damaging" wind gusts of up to 140km/h and thunder storms expected as an active front crosses the country from the south.

The worst of the weather is due tonight with the MetService warning the high winds could become hazardous for motorists.