Flights cancelled after severe gales hit parts of the country

Air New Zealand faced cancellations and diversions on Sunday due to severe gales across southern and central New Zealand. Wellington Airport reported two flights being cancelled and two more diverted early on Sunday morning. Central parts of the country experienced strong, blustery winds, with gusts reaching 168 km/h at Wellington's Mt Kaukau.

An orange strong wind warning was in effect for the Tararua district throughout the day, while a strong wind watch was in place for inland Hawke's Bay. The gales also caused widespread power outages, affecting over 650 customers in the Wellington region and nearly 400 homes in the Wairarapa and Manawatū. Down south, more than 700 homes in Marlborough and over 300 in Tasman experienced unplanned outages, with about 20 homes in Christchurch also impacted.

Meteorologists predict better weather ahead, with spring-like conditions expected in the coming days. While most of the North Island will be fine this week, western parts may face cloudy periods and isolated showers later in the week. Meanwhile, the South Island may experience heavy rain from Tuesday, with snow possible on the hills in Canterbury and Otago by Thursday.