MetService said gusts of 126kmh were recorded in Moeraki, while it was reported earlier that they reached 137kmh at Swampy Summit, just north of the Dunedin.
Winds were also strong at Invercargill Airport, where 111kmh was recorded, and Kaikoura (115kmh).
In the lower North Island, the Rimutaka Hill between Upper Hutt and Wairarapa recorded 113kmh.
Emma Blades of MetService said the winds would ease today and severe weather warnings and watches for strong winds were being lifted.
"The good news is that most of the winds are dying out.
"There will still be some strong gusty winds for eastern parts of the North Island and South Island, but the trend is it will ease."
Philip Duncan, head weather analyst at WeatherWatch, said winds had eased somewhat in Dunedin while Wellington had gusts to about 70kmh.
"It may increase a little more this morning just as the final gasp of this this system comes through," he said.
Eastern parts of the country will be in for some warm weather, Ms Blades said.
Otago and Southland bore the brunt of gale force winds yesterday, as cars were overturned and a few campervans run off the road.
Queenstown and Dunedin Airports had to divert or cancel flights because of strong winds and rain.
In Invercargill, a number roofs lifted off, while fire crews had a busy day battling multiple vegetation fires, out-of-control burn-offs, and helping with downed power lines.
A house was almost completely gutted in Clyde after strong gusts fanned the flames.
Around 500 Orion customers were without power yesterday in Dunsandel, Rolleston and West Melton.
Almost 1500 Alpine Energy customers were knocked off the grid and a number are still without power.
Alpine Energy chief executive Andrew Tombs insists they'll be working as quickly as possible today.
"They'll get to work in the darkness, then they'll be out in the field at first light so that the restoration programme. I'd anticipate we would have crews out there by 7.30am," he said.
Mt Hutt skifield lost bits of its chairlift to gusts which hit around around 220kmh.
