Stormy weather descended on to New Zealand Wednesday with gales in Auckland and thunderstorms again around Canterbury.

A dozen weather warnings have been issued with heavy rain in central and western parts of the North Island and heavy snow possible to 400 metres in southern regions also of the North Island.

You can find all the current weather warnings here.

Winds have eased a little this evening across Auckland.  Earlier this afternoon gale force nor’westers, averaging 100km/h at times, were been gusting close to 140km/h on the Manukau Heads west of Auckland Airport.   Gusts have now eased back a little to 120km/h.

Across the city itself gusts are still reaching 70km/h with severe gusts likely affecting the Harbour Bridge.

WeatherWatch.co.nz predicts there may be delays with ferry services this evening due to rough seas and advises motorists to be aware of strong winds on the Harbour Bridge.

In Canterbury a thunderstorm this afternoon saw temperatures fall behind it to just 7 degrees.  A southerly gusting 60km/h was making conditions feel colder.  

A few thunderstorms were detected around Canterbury but have now eased however the free and live Lightning Tracker at WeatherWatch.co.nz is detecting hundreds of strikes out in the Tasman Sea as the same low that created Sydney’s dust storm moves towards New Zealand.