Towering seas, punishing gales and heavy snow and rain are lashing central New Zealand as the vicious winter storm enters its third day.
Snow was continuing to fall across both islands and was not expected to let up until Friday.
About a dozen people had to be rescued from their vehicles after snow closed the Napier-Taupo Road. So far 12 people have been brought down to a Civil Defence collection point but some truck drivers chose to stay put on Thursday.
Roads across the South Island were closed. MetService meteorologist Mark Todd said eastern and central regions would continue to be affected by widespread snow showers until Friday.
The worst affected areas were inland, mid and north Canterbury and Kaikoura, where heavy snow was expected down to 200m.
Police described the gales, rain and snow as a "trifecta of trouble".
The North Island was now bearing the brunt of the storm, with waves as high as 11 metres through Cook Strait and powerful winds of 167 km/h.
All ferries have been cancelled until Friday morning due to 7m-high swells.
Wellington Airport had cancelled six flights and many more have been delayed as the runway was buffeted by wind gusts of up to 90 km/h on Thursday.
The wild weather also cut power to more than 5500 households across the lower half of the North Island. Many of those without power are in isolated rural settlements in the Manawatu Ranges where heavy snow has fallen.
