UPDATED 7.41PM: More heavy rain is expected over the North Island tonight, after a day of wild weather across the country.

There was torrential rain in Wellington, causing floods and several minor crashes. A slip closed State Highway 1 at Pukerua Bay, north of the capital, earlier today. The road is now open again.

Part of nearby Johnsonville Shopping Centre was also flooded this morning.

Firefighters were called to a house near Taupo after a large macrocarpa tree crashed through the roof.

A tree also fell down on State Highway 30 at Awakeri, south of Whakatane.

At Cooper's Beach in the Far North, two houses were flooded.

There was also flooding on State Highway 10 near the turn-off to Mangonui.

A property in Auckland's Freeman's Bay had its basement flooded in a downpour.

The Southern Fire Service had about six call-outs related to street and house flooding in Timaru, plus one in Motueka.

Yup. Buckets of rain in the Hutt Valley ... pic.twitter.com/wwMruRbxaX

— Lainey (@nzgirlemd) May 27, 2016

There were two slips in the Manawatu Gorge, occurring within 150 metres of each other due to torrential rain in the region this morning.

Police are urging people to continue to drive to the conditions, use headlights in torrential rain, watch following distances and keep speeds down.

Motorists are being advised chains are essential when travelling on State Highway 73 from Springfield through Arthurs Pass due to snow. The section of highway is closed to towing vehicles.