Weekend's wild weather likely to continue today

The wild weather that brought down trees and power poles across the North Island looks set to continue today.

Residents in the upper North Island can expect thundery showers and strong winds, while motorists and farms in the Central North Island are being warned to watch for heavy snowfalls.

The weather warnings follow a weekend that saw a mini-tornado rip through Hamilton and strong winds causing havoc for motorists, boat and home owners in the upper part of the North Island.

Northern Police Communications Centre Inspector Scott Webb said there were numerous reports of damage and associated problems due to the weather.

In Auckland roads were blocked in several areas by fallen trees and power lines and flying debris, and several boats were smashed up along Tamaki Drive.

Large barriers caused havoc after they blew across a North Shore road, while motorists on the Southern Motorway had to deal with surface flooding, plywood which had blown off the back of a trailer near Papakura and loose scaffolding from a construction site which closed the southbound lanes between Fanshawe and Cook Sts.

In Rotorua a mudslide and fallen trees blocked part of State Highway 30 near Lake Rotoma, while a tree brought a power pole down across SH1b near Eureka in the Waikato.

Emergency services were also kept busy in the Far North.

In Dargaville, Victoria St was closed after strong winds lifted a canopy off the Caltex service station.

At Kaitaia, part of a roof was blown off a house and trees blocked roads in Houhora and Kawakawa.

MetService lead forecaster Gerard Barrow blamed the weekend weather on a very deep low moving moving across the North Island.

MetService Weather Ambassador Bob McDavitt said wind gusts of up to 138km/h were measured at Cape Reinga yesterday afternoon.

While those winds were expected to ease last night, Mr McDavitt said the South Island was expected to be hit with cold southerly winds and snow down to 300m today.

That wintry outbreak is likely to move to the lower part of the North Island tonight, with heavy snow expected in the Central North Island until tomorrow morning.

High country farmers from Taranaki to the Volcanic Plateau, and in the eastern ranges from Gisborne to Wairarapa, are being warned that a combination of snow and strong winds could cause severe stress to newborn lambs.

Motorists are also being warned about possible snow-related problems on the Desert Rd, the Napier to Taupo, Gentle Annie and Rimutaka Hill roads.

The bad weather is expected to start easing tomorrow afternoon.

On the Far North's east coast, a 12m commercial fishing boat rolled over and sank at its mooring in Mangonui Harbour as howling northerly winds gusted to more than 100km/h.

The Quo Vadis sank near the Mangonui wharf and by afternoon yesterday only the top of its mast was showing.

The tuna boat's life raft self-inflated when the vessel sank but no-one was on board.

Soon after the Quo Vadis sank, a large, two-masted ketch broke its mooring and was driven onto rocks about 200m away.

- additional reporting TONY GEE