Many Aucklanders are facing a morning without power as wild winds and rain cause havoc across the region.
Fallen trees have damaged houses and cars and brought down power lines - cutting power to dozens of areas across Auckland.
Motorists face widespread disruption and are being warned to expect delays, with lower speed limits imposed on the Harbour Bridge as wind gusts hit 110km/h.
Around 30 shipping containers have been blown over in South Auckland, a witness says.
🌬 Windy in Auckland last night! 🌬
— MetService (@MetService) August 2, 2021
Widespread gusts across Auckland in excess of 100 km/h, but the wind will gradually ease throughout today. Details at https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz
^Tui pic.twitter.com/kfEex7D5cc
Vector is warning the public to stay away from an area in Albany, where two high voltage power lines were brought down in the bad weather.
"[Clemows Lane and Jack Hinton Drive] have been closed for safety and work is under way with traffic agencies to undertake repairs," Vector said.
After yesterday's weather warning for the region, crews were scaled up to respond to outages, Vector's Marko Simunac said.
Vector couldn't say how many outages crews were still responding to at 8am.
https://t.co/sz901it0zg
— Libi Jacob (@libihpd) August 2, 2021
Trampoline flew to backyard of neighbours house....during heavy wind storm in Auckland #auckland #latestnews pic.twitter.com/npBsJuUL8S
"Given the weather forecast for today, we may need to stand our crews down for their own safety if the wind picks up again," Simunac said.
Members of the public are being asked to "please bear with our crews" if an outage happens in their area.
Just before midday, Vector said crews had been "working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible".
"Since 8am this morning, a number of areas have had power restored and work will continue throughout the day to get the power back on for more customers across the region," Vetor said.
UPDATE 10:20AM
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 2, 2021
Wind gusts are no longer severe, however occasional strong gusts continue. 4 lanes in each direction continue on the Harbour Bridge. Allow extra time for journeys south on #SH1. Check current travel times on our website here: https://t.co/jrKkgDt8Ki ^TP https://t.co/z2i5mwnWwq
"While the weather is expected to improve this afternoon, we thank the public in advance for their patience while our crews work on the repairs."
It reminded people to call 111 and stay a safe distance away if they discovered downed power lines.
Counties Power said the network on the western side of the Franklin and Papakura region is severely affected by the extreme weather.
"There will be long resolution times as crews work as safely as they can out there in these high winds across many outages. Please prepare for a morning without power."
Fire crews have been called to more than 100 weather-related incidents since the storm began at 3am.
Northern fire communications shift manager Paul Radden said most of the calls have been to powerlines and trees coming down and roofs lifted.
A SkyCity spokeswoman said their rigging team had checked for damage to the Sky Tower early this morning. However, no damage was found.
"Thank goodness," she said.
The Sky Tower has been designed to withstand storms and winds gusting up to 200km/h, which can result in a sway at the top of the concrete shaft of about one metre, its website reads.
A strong wind watch is in place for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island and Coromandel Peninsula north of Thames and Tairua until 2pm today.
"Southwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places, especially about the west of Auckland."
Work is under way to remove a large tree blocking Walmsley Rd between Mahunga Dr and the SH20 motorway interchange. Delays and diversions are expected for some time.
A "red alert" has been issued specifically for the Harbour Bridge where gusts could reach 90km/h between midnight and 3am, and up to 110km/h between 3am and midday.
MetService said the strongest gusts around the city were on the Harbour Bridge, where it was gusting about 110km/h at 4am.
Meteorologist Alwyn Bakker said that had started to ease off and shortly after 6am, winds on the bridge were gusting about 90km/h.
Motorists are being urged to obey speed signs and take extra care and where possible avoid the Harbour Bridge and use the Western Ring Route.
Heads up:
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) August 2, 2021
This swirling feature 🍥 represents energy in the atmosphere (called vorticity).
This is forecast to move over the upper North Island late morning into very early afternoon, likely generating a period of higher wind gusts.
Winds gradually ease after it passes east. pic.twitter.com/dBpIVq9hVU
Traffic heading into the city centre on the Northwestern Motorway was backed up this morning as people used the alternative route.
Around the Auckland Airport, winds were gusting up to 107km/h between 3am and 4am, Bakker said.
Overhead motorway signs are telling motorists heading to the Harbour Bridge to be "extra careful" - with a specific warning for high vehicles and motorcyclists.
UPDATE 9:40AM
— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) August 2, 2021
This section of Mt Smart Rd remains closed while the fallen tree is being removed. Allow extra time for diversions and delays in the area. ^TP https://t.co/Trbia4LXDt
UPDATE 9:30AM
— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) August 2, 2021
All lanes are now OPEN again on Pakuranga Rd. Allow extra time as congestion in the Pakuranga area slowly eases. ^TP https://t.co/TQvolLDBty
Several suburbs are without electricity, including part of the Northwestern Motorway, which has no power between about Te Atatū and Western Springs.
Police said a truck and trailer unit blew over on its side on the Southwestern Motorway, near Rimu Rd, about 3.40am.
No injuries were reported, a spokeswoman said. However, two of the three lanes were blocked for a time and all lanes were closed as the truck and trailer were moved off the road by authorities. All lanes are now open.
A large tree fell onto a vehicle on Glass Rd in Mt Roskill and trees have fallen through homes, on to decks and across roads.
A woman in Glenbrook, south of Auckland, described her deck lifting up and down and the house swaying early this morning.
"I haven't had any sleep. The whole house was rocking like a boat."
https://t.co/sz901it0zg
— Libi Jacob (@libihpd) August 2, 2021
Trampoline flew to backyard of neighbours house....during heavy wind storm in Auckland #auckland #latestnews pic.twitter.com/npBsJuUL8S
The woman, who asked to stay anonymous, said a tree had come down on her house during the night. No damage was done to the house but half of a large portable pool was flattened and the chicken coop was gone, she said.
"That chicken coop is so heavy. We can hardly lift it when we clean it."
NZTA Waka Kotahi said delays and cancellations to public transport services and disruptions across the city's highways were possible.
Severe Winds overnight have impacted the roading network across Auckland. Response crews are attending multiple incidents including fallen trees and associated power outages affecting traffic signals. Please be safe and drive with extra care this morning. ^TP pic.twitter.com/vGvJSzBPTV
— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) August 2, 2021
Pakuranga Rd is blocked by a fallen tree and a tree has fallen on Mill Rd near its intersection with Redoubt Road in Papakura.
Auckland Transport said at 6.35am that a fallen tree was blocking westbound lanes towards Panmure Bridge after Millen Ave. One lane has since reopened.
FINAL UPDATE for Train Disruptions - Power has been restored on the main line. SOUTHERN line is now operating all the way between Britomart and Papakura. EASTERN line is now operating all the way between Manukau and Britomart. ONEHUNGA line is operating to schedule. ^KY pic.twitter.com/AkX10YZLUg
— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) August 2, 2021
People travelling in the area are told to delay their journeys or allow for extra time this morning for diversions.
The agency said it would close the bridge on safety grounds if needed.
Auckland Transport issued an alert on its social media channels warning people to expect disruptions this morning.
An alert said its operation room had received multiple reports of power outages and trees downed around the network.
Commuters were told to expect delays and cancellations this morning.
Road authorities said response crews were responding to multiple calls about fallen trees and power outages affecting traffic signals.
Train users are facing disruptions with the Onehunga train line suspended as a result of overhead line issues near Penrose.
The line issues are also affecting southern line services from Papakura to Britomart, which will now travel via Newmarket.
Just after 7am, Auckland Transport said all southern line train services were suspended because of another overhead line issue at Ōtāhuhu.
Earlier this morning, the service between Papakura and Britomart had been detouring the area, but they are now cancelled.
SOUTHERN Line Train Disruptions - Due to an overhead line issues near Penrose, all Southern Line services from Britomart to Papakura are operating non-stopping via the Eastern Line to Otahuhu. All Southern Line Servcies from Papakura to Britomart will travel via Newmarket. ^KY pic.twitter.com/E6fgyJsQXw
— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) August 2, 2021
Auckland Transport cancelled all Northcote Pt services until further notice because of the weather, although the 7.35am service between Auckland and Birkenhead and the 7.55am between Birkenhead to Auckland were cancelled because of a mechanical issue. A vessel break-down also delayed the Waiheke to Auckland ferry by 10 minutes.
Vector is responding to outages in Whangaparāoa Peninsula, Torbay, Milford, Birkenhead, Pāremoremo and Murrays Bay.
Much of Dairy Flat and Helensville, northwest of the city, are also in the dark.
Further north, a lot of Mahurangi is without power.
The Vector website shows most of Te Atatū Peninsula, in West Auckland is without power.
A witness told the Herald he spotted powerlines arcing in Te Atatū and debris from fallen trees in and around Te Atatū Peninsula.
He described the difficulty of driving down the Northwestern Motorway about 4am, saying: "I was driving straight and I could just feel the car being pushed."
Other parts of West Auckland badly affected are Massey West, Whenuapai West, Waimauku, Oratia, Laingholm, Titirangi, Huapai and Kumeu.
There are also power cuts in parts of Westmere, Henderson and Mt Wellington.
In the south, there are outages in parts of Ōtāhuhu and Māngere East.
And out east, there appear to be outages in Bucklands Beach, Shamrock Park, Maraetai, and the area south of Beachlands.
It says it has response teams, including specialist arborists, responding to outages throughout the night, but they may stop work if conditions become dangerous.
Vector says anyone who loses power should report through Vector's website.
In Coromandel, a tree is blocking Tapu Coroglen Rd just 2km from Coroglen, making it tricky for most cars to get around.
A tree has crashed through a kitchen in the Christchurch suburb of Cashmere.
Fire and Emergency say one crew was called out just after 5.30am to the property on Valley Rd.
Officers used spades to redirect water away from the house, after a small wall collapsed.
The crew was onsite for 15 minutes and no one was injured.
- More to come
Much of the South Island is set to plunge below 0C tonight and tomorrow.