Powerful winds in the lower North Island and across the South Island continued to wreak havoc overnight.
Strong winds on Sunday saw flights delayed and cancelled, roads closed and people without power, and this continued overnight, with emergency services kept busy.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) attended 184 mainly weather-related incidents. The call-outs were in Wellington, Wairarapa and Kapiti.
Wellington Electricity said as of 6.45am around 400 homes and businesses across Wellington remained without power. This had earlier been 1000.
Wellington Airport said around 12 flights have been cancelled so far this morning due to Sunday's disruption.
MetService said it had recorded a wind gust at its Cape Turnagain weather station in Wairarapa of 246km/h — the fourth highest wind gust at the station since its records began in 2008.
The highest wind gust recorded at the station was 270km/h on April 10, 2018.
"This station located about 290 metres above sea level, so is not entirely representative of the area, but is still very impressive," meteorologist Kathryn Hodge told 1News.
Castlepoint, which is located a bit further south of Cape Turnagain, reached a wind gust of 174km/h.
In the south, Mt Cook Airport experienced wind gusts of up to 168km/h.
Latest wind watches
MetService has issued fresh weather watches and warnings, with gale west to northwest winds expected to affect central and southern parts of the country.
Strong wind watches are in place for part of Hawke's Bay, part of Tararua District and Wairarapa, part of Tasman, inland Marlborough and Kaikōura Coast, Canterbury High Country, and Clutha, Southland, Stewart Island and part of Fiordland into this afternoon.
NIWA said there would be a brief respite from the gusty winds later on Monday and Tuesday, before they ramp up again on Wednesday.
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