Mini tornadoes cause minor chaos

UPDATE: Vector says it has now restored power to all but 256 customers in Auckland - although the lines company is bracing for more high winds forecast between 5pm and 8pm. At the height of the outage around 1500 customers without electricity.

EARLIER: Vector says 1185 customers are still without power following this morning's "weather bomb" that struck parts of the North Island this morning.

There have been multiple reports of minor property damage after mini tornados hit Auckland, Tauranga and Mt Maunganui.

On Tamaki Drive in Auckland trees were uprooted with one thrown half way across the road by the wild weather (scroll to end of story for video).

At Ardmore Airfield there was major damage to four planes - all tied down, pilot Vaughn Davis says. 

In Avondale, a mother and her three year old son had a lucky escape after a fallen tree speared through their home.

Vector rostered extra crews due to the advanced weather warnings so were able to deal with the high number of weather related outages quickly, spokeswoman Sandy Hodge says.

The remaining customers are expected to be restored throughout the afternoon. Extra crews are also rostered on for another expected burst of high winds this evening.

While there is a break in the weather, Vector is advising people to put garden furniture away, tidy up loose tarpaulins and other garden equipment and generally ensure anything that can blow into lines, is secured.

Met Service has a server weather warning in place for Northland, Auckland, Waikatio, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taupo, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taihape, Taranaki, Manawatu, Wellington, Wairarapa, Nelson and Otago. Heavy rain and severe gales are expected through the weekend.

A very cold southerly airstream is expected to spread over the South Island today, and onto the North Island late today (Saturday) and early Sunday, with snow lowering to low levels in many areas, Met Service says.

At the same time a low pressure system from over the Tasman Sea is expected to move onto the North Island, bringing short periods of heavy rain and very strong winds to northern and central New Zealand.

Video: Todd Scott