UPDATED 9.06AMÂ A wintry blast that's left thousands without power in the South Island is moving up the country, closing roads, bringing down powerlines and causing snowfall in Wellington.
PHOTOS: Wild weather hits across NZ
About 400 residents in the Wellington region - including around Paekakariki Hill, Judgeford, Point Howard and Belmont and Tirohanga - had power cut off as a "southerly buster" that began on Wednesday night moved further north this morning.
@TimWilsonBarrio @BreakfastSam Snow flakes in Wellington 7.10am 😆 pic.twitter.com/goH86AIqGe
— Robbie Robinson (@Robbie1585) September 7, 2016
Wellington Electricity says it hopes to return power within three hours.
The weather front- which earlier hurt two people in Canterbury - has also brought snow to the central Wellington, with witnesses reporting seeing flurries around inner suburbs, although it isn't settling.
The Desert Road, State Highway 1, was closed by snow and ice on Thursday morning, as well as the Rimutaka Hill Rd, SH2, north of Wellington.
Wellington police are urging people to delay all non-essential travel and drive with care, with ice on the Wainuiomata Hill Rd.
Both the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries have cancelled sailings on Thursday because of rough weather in Cook Strait, where 6m swells are forecast.
Further south, both Arthur's Pass, SH73, and the Milford Road, SH94, were closed by snow.
About 3000 residents lost power after hurricane-force winds brought down power lines in the Selwyn and Banks Peninsula areas overnight - with 1700 still without electricity on Thursday morning.
"Emergency crews worked throughout the night on critical faults but were, at times, hampered by the intensity of the wind and this still remains an issue," Orion chief Rob Jamieson said.
The Metservice reported gusts of up to 161km/h hit the area.
The Mt Hutt skifield was closed because of high winds and poor visibility on Thursday - but skiers were relishing the dumping of 1.5m deep snow drifts for when it reopened.
On Wednesday night, two people were taken to hospital with moderate injuries after the wild weather brought down a tree onto a car at Tai Tapu, south of Christchurch.
On Thursday morning, about 1500 houses and businesses were also without power in Christchurch after thousands more suffered power cuts overnight.
Firefighters in Canterbury were called out to 46 weather-related incidents in the 12 hours to 6am, mainly downed trees or powerlines, a spokeswoman says.
The Metservice has issued a severe weather warning, predicting heavy snow for Taihape and Taupo on Thursday and continued gales for the southern and eastern coasts of the South Island, Wellington and Wairarapa.
Conditions are expected to ease across the country by Friday and a warmer, drier weekend is forecast.
On Wednesday, MetService meteorologist Peter Little described the sudden return from early spring to winter as being caused by a "southerly buster".
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