Cowper Street residents were today cleaning up the aftermath of a "phenomenal" wind that struck before dawn this morning.

Strong wind gusts of up to 140km/h are barrelling up the country felling trees, power lines and lifting roofs, emergency services say.

It's a great day across most of the country for firing up the barbie or getting a tan on.

It will be a wet start to the school holidays, but the weather is set to clear by Monday, MetService says.

Bad weather in the North Island has temporarily delayed the Prime Minister's campaign day in Rotorua.

The top of the North Island continues to cop wet weather as a band of heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms moves south from Northland towards Auckland.

Northland has been warned that more flooding and slips could occur with heavy rain and severe gales forecasted over the weekend.

The central North Island has woken to a winter wonderland this morning, with a fresh dumping of snow proving a boost for skiers but a bane for motorists.

It is a wet day across the country today, and most places can expect to be hit by rain or showers.

A 67-year August temperature record for Dunedin melted yesterday as strong northwesterly winds buffeted the region.

Black ice has caused several crashed on State Highway 5 this morning, with parts of central North Island experiencing temperatures well below zero.

The Civil Defence has warned Northland to prepare for further flooding as heavy rain and gale force winds lash the region again this weekend.

A group of school girls and their two instructors have been rescued after spending a night in the Waikato bush when they became trapped by a rising river.

The search for a woman missing in Waitangi River floodwaters since early this morning has been suspended. It will resume tomorrow morning.

Torrential rain caused flooding and closed roads in Auckland and Waiheke this afternoon, with a number of people having to be rescued from rising floodwaters.

Blustery gales have knocked out power to 1600 properties in the Wairarapa today.

The El Nino weather event predicted to dump rain on the West Coast this year could actually help the rapidly retreating glaciers, according to a scientist.

A brief hail storm that covered the ground in Whangarei seemed to come out of nowhere, said a long-time resident.

Dozens of residents in pockets around Auckland remain without hot water following last week's bruising storm, while 500 homes on the West Coast still have no power.

Auckland residents who went without hot water for four days can finally take warm showers again, but some remain upset at how the issue has been handled.

Some Auckland residents have made a cold and dirty start to the long weekend, after being without hot water since Thursday night.

Local residents who assisted in retrieving a stranded truck containing the bodies of two men in the Eastern Bay of Plenty have been praised by the regional council.

NZ Herald readers send in their best pics of the weather currently soaking New Zealand.

Rain and clouds are forecast to take over the sunny skies we've been enjoying over the holidays, with temperatures also set to drop to an unseasonable low.

Torrential rain, high winds, and even a reported tornado have caused chaos across the country today, bringing slips, floods, evacuations, and damage to property.

Santa could find himself fighting gale force winds in some areas tonight before rain heralds in Christmas Day for much of the country.