Power lines and trees have been brought down by strong winds in the upper North Island.
In Auckland, wind gusts, debris and trees damaged power lines. Photo: RNZ/Alan Withrington
Emergency services received 37 call-outs across the Auckland, Northland, Waikato and the Western Bay of Plenty regions overnight.
Almost 2000 homes and businesses were without power in the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty regions where strong winds brought down trees and power lines.
This evening, highways in the central North Island and the South Island's West Coast have been closed by strong winds and heavy rain.
The Transport Agency says State Highway 1 between Taupo and Turangi will remain closed overnight after winds blew trees down onto the road.
Drivers in the region are warned to watch out for slips caused by heavy rain which have also closed State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupo.
And in the South Island, slips have closed State Highway 7 between Greymouth and Reefton for the night.
The MetService says a heavy rain warning is in place for the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne this evening, with a watch in place in Marlborough, Wairarapa and the Bay of Plenty.
A Tolaga Bay farmer is fearing a repeat of the damage from last year's Queen's Birthday storm in the area this evening.
Toby Parker says the lŪawa river is running close to the top of the banks through the East Coast town after heavy rain.
He says the weather had raised fears of a repeat of the damage caused by washed-out pine trees in during last year's storm.
"The Ūawa River down in the township is quiet high, it would be probably half a metre from the bank and all the sticks and trash and stuff coming down is making people pretty nervous," he told RNZ.
The MetService says the heavy rain is expected to begin again at 10pm.
It says up to 140mm of rain could also fall overnight in the ranges and coastal hills in Hawke's Bay.
Strongest winds were expected in Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and western Bay of Plenty.
Northland, Auckland and Waikato were also hit by heavy rain and strong winds overnight.
The Transport Agency's director of regional relationships, Ross I'Anson, told Nine to Noon it was working to re-open State Highway 25 by the end of the day, but that would depend on the extent of the damage and how bad the weather is today.
Winds gusted up to 110 km/h hour in Coromandel and Northland.
In Auckland, wind gusts, debris and trees damaged power lines.
Electricity lines company Vector said several power cuts to homes in the north of the city, but crews were prepared and there was minimal impact on customers.
Northland had 70mm of rain overnight, MetService said.
In Coromandel, rising floodwaters in the Kauaeranga River forced 40 freedom campers to move from their spot.
About 160mm of rain fell overnight in parts of the catchment above the Kauaeranga River.
Waikato Regional Council staff moved the campervans from the car park near the Thames airfield which is on low lying land prone to flooding
Regional council spokesperson said one camper returned and got trapped, but all motorists are now safe.
The main road into Thames, SH25, reopened to one lane, and all other roads closed by flooding have reopened. There was some surface flooding around Paeroa, Manaia and Wade Road south of Whitianga, but the Kopu-Hikuai Road and Karangahake Gorge remain open, the regional council said.
The Transport Agency's director of regional relationships, Ross I'Anson, told Nine to Noon it is working to fully re-open State Highway 25 by the end of the day, but that will depend on the extent of the damage and how bad the weather is today.
"Right across the top of the North Island we've got a lot of rain, we've still got a lot of wind. There's still some flooding that'll be sitting around those roads," Mr I'Anson said.
The regional council is urging people across the Coromandel Peninsula to stay away from rivers and streams as they could rise rapidly with the rainfall.
Auckland motorways
The Transport Agency is urging motorists to take care in the poor weather conditions after a crash on Auckland's Southern Motorway this morning.
Flooding effected parts of the motorway, with the right lane at the Greenlane interchange closed.
Gales and heavy rain brought by a deep low weather system are due to affect may of the North Island and upper South Island through to tomorrow.
Rain, gale warnings
MetService forecast the heaviest rain would fall in Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty west of Te Puke and northern Gisborne where heavy rain warnings are in force.
Yesterday one person died when a yacht sank in rough weather off Cape Brett, Northland, where wind was gusting up to 50 knots and sea swells reached 6 metres.