Severe weather warning - wild winds and ferry cancellations

A spring storm bringing gales and snow to parts of New Zealand has disrupted Cook Strait ferries, closed skifields in the south, and caused slips in Wellington.

MetService issued a heavy rain watch for the Wellington region, stretching north to the Tararuas, until 9am Tuesday morning. It has issued a strong wind watch as gale southerlies are expected to develop on Monday afternoon, and wind gusts may approach 120 kilometres an hour in exposed parts.

A slip was blocking the left lane on State Highway 58, near the State Highway 2 interchange into Silverstream. A second slip was reported on Ohiro Road, with rocks and dirt falling on top of the hood of a parked Subaru.

The New Zealand Transport Agency advised drivers to pass with care and expect some delays.

FERRIES: Bluebridge cancelled its 2pm sailing from Picton and 1.30pm from Wellington due to the weather.

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