Engineers will today pack explosives into huge boulders that have closed Milford Rd in Fiordland, as residents face their fifth day cut off.

We take a look at the week ahead and the latest forecast for the start of the first long weekend in nearly half a year - in a nutshell? "Messy"

An independent weatherman has hit out at the MetService, claiming it was too slow to issue a severe weather warning for Auckland at the weekend.

A short and sharp storm will this weekend cross central New Zealand bringing heavy rain, strong to gale force winds and even some heavy snow for higher altitude parts of Canterbury. Some regions will also have sun - all in all it's a typical spring system!

A potential weather bomb (when the air pressure falls more than 24hPa in 24 hours) is still expected to rapidly form in the Tasman Sea on Friday. While we expect the storm to peak out at sea, it will still be a rough Saturday for some areas - especially central New Zealand. By Sunday, however, it will be clearing already. Short and sharp.

A wintry shot of air is going to affect the South Island for the next few days, especially the Deep South while showers and blustery winds move in to some parts of the North. On Sunday conditions ease then Monday a new low in the Tasman moves in with rain and warm northerlies. We also take a quick look at the weather conditions for Bathurst on Sunday and we end with a spectacular sunset photo of One Tree Hill.

The bad weather including snow to low levels predicted has arrived in the South, Craig Baxter from the ODT filmed this slow-mo video as the storms starts to hit Dunedin.

An electrical storm in Christchurch cut power and damaged buildings. Residents reported hailstones the size of golf balls and spectacular lightning strikes during the storm that started just before 6.30pm Tuesday evening. The Fire Service received about 20 callouts, most false alarms triggered by the weather or about damage to roofs and conservatories caused by hail, said a spokesman.

A fast-moving storm tonight in Christchurch lit up the sky and caused power outages. Take a look at Joe Morgan's time-lapse video.

Dozens of Canterbury properties were flooded by heavy rain overnight. A Fire Service spokesman said there were 39 weather-related calls from the region between about 10pm and 2am, mostly for surface flooding. The incidents were mostly around Lyttelton and Sumner, already sodden after several periods of heavy rain in the past month.

As torrential rain hit eastern Coromandel and the western Bay of Plenty, authorities monitored river levels and warned farmers to move stock to higher ground if necessary.

A large, slow-moving ridge of high pressure over the Tasman will keep most of New Zealand's weather dry for a few more days. Things will begin to change on Thursday when the high moves to our north-east. The position, and shape of the high will set up a strong on-shore flow for the West Coast. This will likely bring rain to the West Coast by midday Thursday. Nelson could see some rain by late Thursday or early Friday.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the fog is finally clearing away after some light winds and a high pressure system will settle our weather as it continues to move across the Tasman Sea.

Today over New Zealand again the top third of the nation will experience fairly mild conditions. Showers and dry, sunny, spells are expected in the north west flow. Rain and cloud will push into eastern areas too with some heavy falls. Through central New Zealand there will be a combination of wind, cloud and some rain or showers - but a repeat of Auckland's dramatic flooding yesterday is not expected in other main centres through central New Zealand. Southland and Otago will spend another day mostly in single digits after more severe frosts - but blue skies are also likely for most centres except in the east where some cloud is likely with a low risk of a shower for Dunedin.

Parts of Auckland were hit by surface flooding this afternoon, as a severe thunderstorm rolled through the region. High winds caused disruptions in Auckland City, the Fire Service dealt with dozens of reports of flooding and power was cut to hundreds this afternoon.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says an anticyclone to the east of New Zealand is slowly moving away while a northeasterly airflow increases over both islands which will bring high risk of heavy rain.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says a big Tasman high will bring settled & calm conditions

The winds will strengthen for many regions today, more squally showers are predicted and snow will continue to fall to very low levels as a moderate winter storm continues to affect New Zealand. WeatherWatch.co.nz forecasters say winds will actually build for the South Island today and into Thursday with a chance of severe gales in areas that missed them on Tuesday.