Strong to gale force winds are blowing across the lower North Island and southern and eastern regions of the South Island this afternoon.

In Wellington a gale force northerly is gusting to 85km/h in the city and over 100km/h on the hill tops.  Passengers flying and out of the capital over the next 18 hours can expect bumpy conditions.

It’s a similar story for passengers flying in to Christchurch, Queenstown or Invercargill with strong winds in the area.  In Christchurch a west to north west wind is hitting 70km/h, it’s predicted that inland it would be closer to 100km/h.

Near gale westerlies are blowing across exposed parts of Southland with gusts around 90km/h.

The strongest wind gust last hour was at Castlepoint, Wairarapa, reaching 120km/h.