Hurricane force winds (including one gust of 170km/h) were recorded late on Thursday in southern parts of the South Island – as well as sustained gusts over 10 minutes reaching over 120km/h.

Trees, plants and debris litter many parts of Dunedin city and surrounds, along with big surf, high waves and extremely unpleasant conditions.

Check out some of our readers and followers contributions from through the afternoon, and keep sending them in – we’ll post as many as we can!

This was before the road became almost un-passable road of rubble & mess #Dunedin #WindStorm – Driving a challenge pic.twitter.com/NxFCi8nr1c

— Paul Le Comte (@five15design) March 10, 2016

Surface flooding across McAndrew Bay from sea blowing over the road #OtagoPeninsula #WindStorm #Dunedin roads bad pic.twitter.com/v35kyMKLYb

— Paul Le Comte (@five15design) March 10, 2016

Would not like to be sailing Cook today. pic.twitter.com/spDhHg9MOA

— Chris. Johnson (@cupoteacoast) March 10, 2016

Just In: https://t.co/bIUjXcvnU7

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) March 10, 2016

@five15design @TroubleRossnz @WeatherWatchNZ Snapped these trees in half, trunks are approx 6-800 diameter… pic.twitter.com/CcpUnt5qQr

— Simon Barber (@NZDairyFarmer) March 10, 2016

@WeatherWatchNZ Just had neighbors rubbish bin land on roof. Hoping we don’t get their trees #dunedin pic.twitter.com/ojDAzkYsVN

— Keely B (@frankeeross) March 10, 2016

– Drew Chappell, Philip Duncan, WeatherWatch.co.nz readers