UPDATED 12.50PM: Damaging hurricane strength wind gusts have been pummeling Wellington this morning, with more wild weather across the country.

The Rimutaka Hill was closed for a time, trees are falling and roofs lifting as severe gales associated with an intense weather bomb bears down on central New Zealand.

LISTEN ABOVE: FORECASTER PHILIP DUNCAN SPEAKS TO RACHEL SMALLEY

More than 400 households were left without power and vital commuter services are starting to be affected as trolley buses are taken off the road and all harbour ferry crossings cancelled.

Rain and winds of up to 100km/h have been recorded across the capital.

The gusts follow severe overnight gales throughout central New Zealand.

At present 280 houses are without power in the suburbs of Haywards, Belmont and Avalon. A further 152 remain in darkness in Stokes Valley, Heretaunga and Silverstream.

Trees were starting to topple and roofs lift as the wind gains intensity.

A Fire Service spokesman said crews had been called to clear roads in South Wairarapa and Johnsonville after trees blocked lanes.

In Wellington three properties needed to have loose tiles and sheets of iron secured by firefighters.

A Korean church in Brooklyn had a tree crash on its roof.

Trolley buses have been taken off the road this morning due to the gale force winds and rush hour commuters are being told to expect disruptions.

Test trains have been sent out across the rail network and trains were not affected by the strong winds and rain at this stage.

Waves were crashing over the road on the main route to the airport.

While flights are running to schedule Wellington Airport is warning people to allow extra time to get to the airport and to check its website for any delays.

The New Zealand Transport Authority issued a warning to motorists about the wind danger if travelling on the Desert Rd this today.

The main routes across the South Island have been cut off after a number of slips and flooding blocked roads. 

Flooding has closed SH73 from Otira to Harris Creek, SH7 from Reefton to Greymouth.

SH6 between Westport and  Greymouth has been closed by a slip blocking the road north of Barrytown.

Warnings have been issued on SH6 between Hokitika to Haast, Sh7 Kaiata to Greymouth and Sh 6 Mokihinui to Fairdown due to flooding and surface water.

The Lewis Pass has been closed due to slips and flooding. 

Two cruise ships have been forced to change course this morning due to gale force winds forecast for Southland, and boaties being are warned to secure moorings in preparation for gale force winds.

Environment Southland harbourmaster Lyndon Cleaver said "the last thing we need is vessels breaking off their moorings and becoming a navigational hazard, or a significant cost to boaties."

Passengers on two cruise ships will miss out on snapping the picturesque scenery of Fiordland, after both were forced to change course to avoid the area.

Temperatures are set to take a wintry turn as a sudden cold snap plunges the country down to single digits overnight.

Everywhere in the South Island will fall below 10C with Queenstown set to fall to a chilly 4C.

Central and lower North Island regions across the North Island will also shiver with Masterton on an unsummer-like 8C and Taupo on 9C.

The rest of the island will also feel the effects of the sudden cold snap with overnight temperatures sitting around or just above 10C.

MetService forecaster Chester Lampkin warned it would be a  chilly January night ahead, especially for the South Island and  inland parts of the North Island.

The good news was the weather would get better this afternoon making way for a calmer day tomorrow.

However, more bad weather was set to return late Saturday with more heavy rain for the already saturated West Coast.