Wild weather leaves hundreds of Whanganui region properties without power

More than 700 properties across the wider Whanganui region are without power. Photo / Bevan Conley

More than 700 properties across the wider Whanganui region are without power this morning due to the wild weather overnight.

Powerco field crews are out in force through the central North Island following a night of wild weather.

At Whanganui Airport, a wind gust as high as 91km/h was measured, with an average speed of about 4km/h, MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said.

"The total accumulated rainfall from about 9pm last night to 9am this morning was 7.8mm."

Trees and branches smashing powerlines have been the cause of most power cuts, along with a lightning strike, Powerco network operations manager Karen Frew said.

More than 400 properties are without power this morning due to the strong winds overnight. Photo / Bevan Conley

"We have had crews on the ground from first light fixing the storm damage to the electricity network throughout the central North Island, into Manawatu and Wairarapa. They are working to get the power restored to customers as quickly and safely as possible."

In Whangaehu 146 customers lost power at 5.33am on Tuesday after lines came down. Power was restored to 96 of those affected by 7.10am. The remaining 50 customers should have power back around midday.

In Marton, 431 customers lost power at 8.11am on Tuesday.The majority restored an hour later. Another 11 customers haven't had power since just before 8pm on Monday night after a lightning strike to a transformer.

A further 372 customers in Waiouru lost power just before 6am on Tuesday. The majority had power restored by 8.30am.

Makgabutlane said conditions today should ease slightly with possible showery conditions and a maximum of 12 degrees.

"Going forward to Wednesday, we see those fine spells starting to increase, maybe one or two showers in the morning, but then we see those southwesterlies dying out. With those dying winds we can expect to see those day time temperatures increase ever so slightly."

The weather will only improve as we advance through the week, with possible wet conditions on Saturday but nothing significant, Makgabutlane said.

Due to surface flooding, State Highway 1 was closed between Calico Line and Wings Line at Marton for several hours this morning. It reopened about 11.30am.

A Whanganui District Council spokeswoman said the only notable event was an isolated slip on Junction Rd, north of Maxwell. The slip would be cleaned up by the end of Tuesday.