Strong gusts were wreaking havoc across the country, bringing down trees in the South and closing Auckland's Harbour Bridge for an hour this morning.
Strong winds up to 98km/h earlier forced a complete closure of the bridge, which reopened about 8am today after most severe gusts eased.
For the latest updates:
One sudden gust of wind and traffic around New Zealand's biggest city goes into a chaotic meltdown. How long will it take to fix the Auckland Harbour Bridge and why can't it be faster? Audio
The Transport Agency says there has been a significant reduction in congestion in Auckland now that two additional lanes on the harbour bridge are open after overnight repairs. Video, Audio
Wild weather is continuing in parts of the country with forecast heavy snow and wind gusting over 100 kilometres an hour. Audio
An Auckland woman living near the Harbour Bridge is angry and shocked people were never told neighbouring land was contaminated with heavy metals from the bridge.
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