A front moving across the country is bringing heavy rain, strong west to northwest gales to parts of central New Zealand and the Chatham Islands, and continuing snowfall to parts of Canterbury, MetService says.
The weather disruptions came as many families were expected to be on the road this weekend for the start of the school holidays.
A strong wind watch is in place for the Chatham Islands from 5pm to midnight Sunday, with northwesterly winds that may approach to severe gales in exposed areas from the late afternoon and southwesterly in the late evening.
A road snowfall warning is in effect for Desert Road (SH1) from 6pm Sunday to 1am Monday. Metservice report 1-2cm of snow may accumulate as it is expected on the road above 800m.
Earlier today, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said several vehicles had become stuck on State Highway 8 near Lake Pūkaki in the Mackenzie Basin, and road crews were ploughing snow so they could get out.
State Highway 73 between Springfield and Castle Hill, including Porters Pass, was closed to towing vehicles, and snow chains were essential.
State Highway 7 between the turnoff to Hanmer Springs and Springs Junction, including Lewis Pass, was also closed.
Meanwhile, severe gales were buffeting the lower North Island, with gusts of up to 157km/h recorded in exposed spots, as the front brought snow and rain to parts of central New Zealand.
The strongest wind gusts since midnight had been recorded at Cape Turnagain (157km/h), Castlepoint (130km/h) and the summit of the Remutaka Hill Road (120km/h).
"Although those are all pretty exposed places - the strongest gust in a more populated spot was in Kelburn (83km/h)," MetService meteorologist Silvia Martino said in a statement.
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