Hundreds of Auckland homes still without power after strong winds

Hundreds of Auckland homes may still be without power this morning after strong winds battered the power network, knocking out the lights for several thousand people overnight.

And the weekend ahead is looking turbulent as well.

High winds, reaching 95km/h, peaked in the early evening affecting 14 pockets or feeders across the city, said a Vector spokeswoman.

"On each feeder there could be tens or hundreds of homes connected to it.

"We estimate that would mean at least 2000 homes were without power at the peak."

At 5am there were five remaining pockets, and now there were two feeders still needing fixing.

A feeder in Waikoukou Valley and Tomarata, both north of Auckland city, were yet to be fixed.

MetService meteorologist Ravi Kandula told the Herald Auckland had a mean wind speed of around 50 to 60km/h, with some gusts reaching 100km/h.

Strong winds about Auckland should gradually ease tonight. Maximum recorded gusts of 95km/hr about Auckland Harbour Bridge and Whangaparaoa Peninsula recorded earlier today. ^AD

— MetService (@MetService) November 1, 2018

Auckland emergency services were in overdrive on Thursday night, dealing with a number of weather-related incidents, including power outages.

Outages occurred at several different locations around the city and wider Vector network, according to the Vector Outage Map.

Areas of Titirangi, Mt Eden and into Kingsland and Herne Bay, and two areas of Otahuhu were experiencing outages at 9.20pm.

Muriwai through Waimauku and towards Taupaki lost power too, as had an area of Whangaparaoa near Gulf Harbour.

Small pockets of power were also lost near Puhoi, Warkworth, Tauhoa, and Wellsford.

A police spokeswoman said they received a number of calls from the public about wind-related incidents.

"We've had a number of calls about fencing, timber, other material from building sites blowing onto the road – Takapuna, Otahuhu," she said.

"We've had a few reports of trees or branches blocking roads – Kohimarama, Epsom, Mt Roskill, Clendon Park, Kumeu, Waitoki, Northwestern motorway, Pukekohe."

Heading into the weekend, New Zealand is in the firing line of another turbulent few days of weather with strong winds and rain set to pack-a-punch.

The forecast is showing much of the country will be hampered by wet and windy weather, with significant weather warnings likely.

MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes said the "significant wind and rain event" contrasts the calmer weather of the last few weeks.

"Wind will be the dominant element of this weekend's weather," he said.

"While the wet weather does affect much of the country, the strong winds are what provide the greatest and most widespread risk."

Meanwhile, traffic is heavy on the city motorways.

A bus breakdown on the Northern Motorway citybound just after the Harbour Bridge citybound and which was causing delays has now been cleared.

On the Northwestern Motorway a breakdown which earlier blocked the left lane just before Royal Rd off ramp is now clear, but there are delays back to Lincoln Rd.

On the Southwestern Motorway, approaching the Mangere Bridge, traffic is heavy due to a gravel spill on the road.