The MetService issued a severe weather warning for Marlborough and the lower North Island, including Wairarapa and Wellington, for Wednesday afternoon.Winds have been gusting to 110 km/h in the Wellington suburb of Kelburn and 120 km/h on the Rimutaka Hill.

A MetService severe weather forecaster, Chris Noble, says Wellington will bear the worst of the weather, but strong winds and rain will continue in the lower North Island until later this evening.The Fire Service says it has not had any reports of major wind or rain damage.

Flights to and from Wellington are only facing minor delays, and ferries have not been affected.However, the winds earlier caused one plane from Auckland to turn back after it was unable to land.Rain and thundery storms were also expected on the west coast from Auckland to Nelson.The MetService is warning people to be wary of rapidly rising rivers and streams in the Tararua Ranges, where heavy, thundery rain was expected to fall in the afternoon.