Buildings were damaged, trees uprooted and power cut to about 5000 homes as a "weather bomb" lashed the North Island on Friday night.
Weather Watch forecaster Philip Duncan said it had been a "pretty rough 24 hours, especially up north. At about 3am or 4am in Whangarei it was incrediblystormy."
Wind and rain began on Friday night and continued for much of yesterday, felling trees and lifting tarpaulins off homes in Kaitaia damaged by a tornado two weeks ago.
Northpower, which supplies power to Northland, reported widespread cuts between Riverside, near Whangarei City centre, and Twin Bridge, 28km south of Kaikohe.
Power was due to be restored to all affected properties last night.
Four boatsheds at Northland's Kissing Point were badly damaged by high winds early yesterday.
Heavy rain caused flooding in the Gisborne area and a large slip about 30km north of Tolaga Bay.
Thick fog brought Christchurch Airport to a standstill yesterday morning, with 12 flights delayed and others diverted to Auckland. In Auckland, the weather caused several minor accidents.
