Most of the country has woken to a chilly morning on Wednesday as a cold snap brings heavy snow, strong wind warnings, and rain.
Auckland will be pummeled by thunderstorms, heavy rain and winds of 100km/h on Wednesday. Vector is warning residents to brace for widespread power cuts, with strong winds that may cause "gale surges and localised tornadoes".
The power company says it has extra storm management teams and response crews on its roster so that it can "respond quickly if required".
"We know it's the school holidays with lots of families at home and reliant on power for warmth and entertainment such as laptops," said Vector's head of network field services, Marko Simunac.
"If the weather causes damage to power lines, we'll aim to restore power as quickly as possible while ensuring the safety of our crews and the public."
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A strong wind warning is in place for most of the Upper North Island with Northland, the Great Barrier Island, Coromandel, Waikato, Waitomo, Auckland and parts of the Bay of Plenty all predicted to see strong gales on Wednesday.
The central North Island is also in for a cold morning with heavy snow expected throughout the day in Taihape and the Desert Rd. The lower North Island is largely unscathed but can expect rain and southerlies for Wellington, Masterton, and New Plymouth.
Heavy snow will hit the South Island with road warnings for several major roads including Lewis Pass, Arthur's Pass, Porters Pass, Lindis Pass, Crown Range Rd, and Milford Rd. The Dunedin to Waitati State Highway will also get heavy snow.
Clutha, Southland, and Fiordland are also expected to have heavy snow above 300 metres.
