Power outages and severe weather have meant a change of weekend plans for many parts of the country.

Less than a month after Auckland’s blackout, some eastern suburbs have been without power yet again.

18,000 homes were left without power last night.

Lines company Vector says it was caused by water, and it’s got nothing to do with the last month’s Penrose substation fault that left 85-thousand households in the dark.

Taste of Auckland director Rob Eliott says they had to cancel last night’s shows, due to extremely heavy winds.

He says extreme weather gusts through their Western Springs site made it unsafe to continue their shows.

Mr Eliott says anyone with a ticket from last night can use them at shows from 11am to 5pm today.

Meanwhile, a woman remains in a serious condition in Hawke’s Bay Hospital, after being struck by falling tree which fell in heavy winds.

Greymouth is also cleaning up after a mini-tornado.

Gusts of up to 140 kilometres per hour have been rattling many parts of the country, but WeatherWatch.co.nz head analyst Philip Duncan says Monday is looking better for much of the country.

“It’s looking like Auckland and Northland may be in for some heavy downpours as a low pressure system crosses the upper North Island” Mr Duncan said.

“I’ve said this week it’s looking a bit like ‘Queensland weather’, warm but wet.

“The stormy weather is shifting south into the Southern Ocean this week, so it will clip the South Island and lower north, but leave most of the country drier after Monday – in other words, normal spring weather.”

– Newstalk ZB/WeatherWatch.co.nz