Up, up and away: Severe northwesterly gales batter lower North Island and South Island

The bottom of the North Island and the whole of the South Island is in for a wet and very windy day with strong wind and rain warnings and watches in place. Photo / MetService

Batten down the hatches - a wet, wild and windy day is set to batter the bottom of the North Island and most of the South Island today.

A series of fronts moved northeast over southern and central New Zealand overnight, bringing heavy rain and wind to eastern parts of the upper South Island and the Tararua Range.

Severe northwesterly gales also set to rock many places.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is warning people travelling over the Remutaka Hill - especially those in a lighter or high-sided vehicle, or riding a motorcycle - to take care due to the strong wind warning in place for the area.

The weather also appears to be playing havoc with flights again at Wellington Airport with flights due to arrive from Hamilton, Dunedin, New Plymouth and Timaru all cancelled this morning.

Flights departing Wellington for Auckland, New Plymouth, Nelson and Christchurch were also scrapped.

A number of flights were cancelled yesterday due to the severe winds.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson said as a flow on from last night's weather there had been a few turboprop cancellations into Wellington. As of 10.30am all flights in and out of Wellington were operating again.

Murky conditions in Dunedin also resulted in the cancellation of some turboprop services from Dunedin to Christchurch, but those services are also resuming as the weather improves.

Yesterday gusts reached up to 120km/h in the capital with locals commenting on social media that Windy Wellington was really living up to its name as it was the windiest days in years.

The strongest gust of 133km/h was recorded at Mount Cook Aerodrome, while the next biggest was 120km/h at Wellington's port.

Strong wind warnings remain in place for the Tararua District, Wellington and Marlborough Sounds until 9am today and strong to gale northwesterlies will continue to blow through the Wairarapa all day.

Severe northwest gales are also forecast for Canterbury all day and tomorrow with gusts expected to reach up to 120 km/h in exposed places.

There are also strong wind watches in places for Otago, Fiordland and Southland with possible severe gales into the afternoon.

MetService has also issued a rain watch for the Tararua Range until 1pm today.

MetService is due to issue its next update at 10am.