Howling winds up to 100kmh are hampering efforts to rescue 24 surviving whales on a beach in the Far North.

A large pod of pilot whales stranded on a Far North beach will hopefully be refloated tomorrow.

Surviving pilot whales from a stranded pod may have to be refloated at a more sheltered bay.

Gales and heavy rain pounding the North Island have shattered weather records, and winds last night hampered rescue efforts after a mass whale stranding at the northern tip of NZ.

Severe weather has hit much of NZ. Follow updates in your area.

Another cold front is set to bring more wet weather to a battered North Island with more snow forecast for Southland.

It was the storm that the chief forecaster at MetService said wasn't going to be big, and was angry at the media for saying so and for using, what he called, emotive language...

Delivery of the New Zealand Herald newspaper to homes in Auckland has been delayed this morning.

Around 11,000 people were still without power in the North Island this morning, after wild storms overnight.

Severe thunderstorms were lashing parts of the upper North Island tonight following chaos further south, as a powerful storm moved across the country.

A massive storm is making its presence felt on towns, cities and suburbs across NZ. See how it's impacting your area.

A storm the size of Australia is hitting New Zealand with winds of 130km/h around Wellington and heavy snow falling in parts of Westland.

The MetService has issued severe weather warnings for all of NZ as a storm the size of Australia passes over. Strong gales are forecast in many North Island areas and heavy snow in the south.

Looming bad weather and a fear that electricity may be out for days is worrying Canterbury farmers in the wake of this morning's quake.

Swollen Bay of Plenty rivers could burst their banks tonight as the rain-battered region braces for more surface flooding.

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence officials are on flood alert, urging people to be prepared for heavy rain during the weekend.

The big wet is about to get bigger, wetter ... and windier, bringing a bleak weekend to most parts of the country.

A freak tornado has ripped off a shed roof, flinging it almost 100m, while leaving almost everything else untouched.

The rain Aucklanders have copped today is likely to ease for a relatively fine but cool weekend.

Three East Coast families will remain isolated for at least another day after their only road access was washed away by heavy rain yesterday.

Drivers are being urged to take extra care on the roads after two cars became stranded in Coromandel floodwaters this morning.

Firefighters were called out to dozens of weather-related calls overnight and this morning, as heavy rain and gales lashed the top of the country.