Weather as it happened: Strong gusts across Wellington, power out in Canterbury and Otago and heavy snow blankets central North Island

• A building has been hit by a landslide in Milford Sound
• Snow is falling in the capital
• Gale force winds are continuing to batter the North Island and authorities are on high alert as monster 4m swells are expected to swamp coastlines
• Parts of Otago and Canterbury are now under snow with major passes affected by high winds and snowfall
• Major highways in the North Island are now closed by snow and ice including the Desert Rd and Rimutaka Hill Rd
• Ferries across the Cook Strait have been cancelled for the next three days until fierce swells subside
• So far Canterbury has borne the brunt of the storm's wrath with hurricane force winds of up to 167 kmh barreling through the region overnight
• MetService forecaster Peter Little said it would be a bitterly cold day for the country today
• Showers would continue to fall across the North Island and strong winds would buffet the island for the rest of the day
• The winds were starting to ease in the South Island though it was continuing to snow in central Otago this morning.

Watch NZH Focus: Wild weather is continuing to batter the country - strong wintery wind gusts in Wellington are bringing hail storms and snow. Further south there are power outages in Canterbury and Otago.

Snow dusts the Rimutaka Hill, causing delays for motorists

Forecast

Auckland:
Thursday: Occasional showers, clearing evening. Southerlies. High of 12, Low of 6
Friday: Mainly fine with fresh southerlies. High of 13, Low of 7

Hamilton:
Thursday: Fine spells, a few showers until evening. Fresh southerly. High of 11, Low of 2
Friday: Mainly fine, morning frosts and southerlies. High of 12, Low of 2

Taupo:
Thursday: A few showers, possibly sleety. Fresh southerlies. High of 9, Low of 0
Friday: Mainly fine, morning frosts. Southerlies. High of 9, Low of 3

Wellington:
Thursday: Showers and cold gale southerlies. High of 8, Low of 5
Friday: Showers and strong, cold southerlies easing. High of 9, Low of 6

Christchurch:
Thursday: Showers, sleety at first. Strong, cold southwest easing. High of 9, Low of 4
Friday: Early showers, then fine. Cold southwesterlies dying out. High of 10, Low of -1

Dunedin:
Thursday: Few sleety showers. Strong, cold southwesterlies easing. High of 9, Low of 4
Friday: Mainly fine, morning frosts. Southwest dying out. High of 11, Low of 4

Queenstown:
Thursday: Few showers clearing, chance early snow. Southerly eases. High of 8, Low of -3
Friday: Mainly fine, morning frosts. Light winds.. High of 13, Low of 0