Wind batters south

Wind gusts of up to 120km an hour are set to batter parts of Southland, Canterbury and Otago before heading north tonight.

Metservice forecaster Bob Lake said a cold front will bring heavy rain to Fiordland and Westland and gales to eastern areas of Southland and Canterbury today.

Mr Lake said 80mm of rain is set to hit Fiordland with up to 20mm falling in an hour.

He said northwesterly winds will gust to about 120km an hour in exposed parts of Southland this morning and will move north to Otago and Canterbury this afternoon.

The gale winds will then hit exposed eastern areas of the Marlborough Sounds, Wellington and the Wairarapa tonight.

Mr Lake said winds of this strength can bring down powerlines and trees and make driving dangerous for high-sided trucks and motorbikes.

- NZHERALD STAFF