Air New Zealand has cancelled all flights into Wellington for the rest of Sunday, according to its website.
The 5.25pm flight from Dunedin to Wellington was cancelled and other flights north delayed.
Severe gales in Wellington had been preventing planes from landing at the airport.
A Wellington Airport spokesperson said aircraft have not been able to land since about 5.30pm, due to the strong wind.
In the North Island, Wellington, the Tararua District, the Marlborough Sounds and parts of Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay are under an orange wind warning until early morning on Monday.
In the South Island, an orange wind warning is in place for Marlborough until 10pm, and Clutha, Southland, Stewart Island, and Fiordland south of Milford Sound, until tomorrow.
State Highway 2 is closed over the Remutaka Hill between Featherston and Kaitoke due to strong winds, Waka Kotahi said.
The Aratere Interislander ferry sailing have also been cancelled for today.
The Bluebridge ferry's website says sailings tonight are scheduled to go ahead after earlier weather-related cancellations, but it warns they will be rough and may take longer.
In Mt Cook National park at Mueller Hut, a gust of 199 km/h was reported, the strongest in three years, NIWA said.
There have also been reports of vehicles affected by strong winds.
Police responded to reports of a crash on Mount Cook Road, where a campervan rolled over into a ditch around 1:50pm and another crash where a caravan went down a bank on Tekapo-Twizel Road around 1:45pm. There were no reported major injuries.
Weather warnings for the South
Severe wind and heavy rain is set to batter most of the South Island, with snow also forecast for some alpine roads.
MetService says severe weather warnings and watches are in place on Sunday, as a series of fast-moving fronts will bring bursts of heavy rain to western parts of the South Island, with "significant spillover" into the Otago and Canterbury headwaters.
A spokesman for the Queenstown Lakes District Council urged people to take care while on the roads today after rain "hammering down across the district".
"Crews have cleared some minor rockfall in some areas. More could be expected if the rain persists for some time, so do keep an eye out for that."
The rain was expected to clear up later in the afternoon.
Severe winds
Gale or severe gale west to northwest winds were expected to affect many areas in southern New Zealand.
On Sunday, strong wind warnings were in place for Clutha, Southland, Stewart Island and Fiordland south of Milford Sound from 2pm on Sunday until 8am on Monday, with severe gale northwesterlies with gusts of 120 km/h in exposed places.
The Canterbury High Country was also set to be hit by severe gale northwesterlies, with damaging gusts of 130 km/h in exposed places from Sunday morning until 8pm.
A strong wind watch is in place for Otago, except Clutha, from 9am today until 9am on Monday, with west to northwest winds possibly approaching severe gale in exposed places.
Heavy rain
Heavy rain was expected for the headwaters of the Otago and Canterbury lakes and rivers, as well as the entire west coast of the South Island from Sunday morning.
MetService said until mid-afternoon between 70mm to 100mm of rain was forecast about the main divide in Otago, and 30mm to 50 mm within 15km farther east. These amounts are in addition to rain already fallen. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h were expected about the divide and thunderstorms were possible.
Heavy rain was also forecast for the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur's Pass until 7pm on Sunday. Between 100mm and 150mm of rain was expected about the main divide, and 40mm to 80mm within 15km farther east.
In Southland, between 40mm and 70mm of rain was set to fall in Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound until 1pm on Sunday.
In Westland, south of Otira, between 100mm to 150mm of rain was forecast about the ranges and up to 40mm near the coast during the day until 7pm, while about and north of Otira, up to 100mm of rain was likely in the ranges and 40mm near the coast until 9pm on Sunday.
A heavy rain watch was also in place for North Otago, Dunedin and Clutha north of Balclutha until noon on Sunday.
Snow for alpine roads
Snow was set to affect some roads in the South until Monday.
Showers could turn to snow on the Crown Range Road, linking Queenstown and Wanaka, from 8pm on Sunday until 7am on Monday, with up to 2cm accumulating near the summit.
A QLDC spokesman said crews would monitor this and chains should be carried in case conditions get worse.
Rain may also turn to snow on the Milford Road (State Highway 94) from 6pm on Sunday until midday on Monday, with up to 3cm settling near the summit of the road.
