Rough seas are buffeting the stricken cargo ship Rena and a window has blown out of a downtown Auckland high rise building as gales hit across New Zealand.
Weatherwatch.co.nz said strong winds were expected to most of the country over the next few days.
Head forecaster Philip Duncan said winds of 80-120kmh were likely to hit exposed areas in the east and south of both the North and South islands.
Heavy rain was also likely to set in over Auckland, Waikato and Northland, he said.
Strong wind gusts in Auckland have have already blown out a high rise window and sent it crashing to the ground just centimetres from pedestrians.
Iain Rae was walking past as the glass and aluminium frame blew out.
He said there was a loud crash on a canopy above pedestrians before the window fell from the fifth floor, bouncing off a canopy and onto the road.
Many people were walking in the area and it was lucky none were hurt, he said.
Meanwhile, Maritime New Zealand said the stricken cargo ship Rena say is being battered by strong winds and "boiling" seas.
The vessel, which has a metre crack down its starboard and port sides, remains "at the mercy of the weather", it said.
"There are no reports of fresh oil overnight, however cleaning operations will continue in various areas today."
Mr Duncan said strong winds were expected to last in the Bay of Plenty until Saturday, causing choppy seas and making salvage operations at the Rena difficult.
"It's not ideal at all."
Metservice said a very strong west to southwest flow is expected to spread over the South Island and lower to central North Island later today, and persist through to early Saturday morning.
Westerly gales were likely for Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa from Napier to Eketahuna from this evening, it said.
- nzherald.co.nz
