<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A man was struck and killed by a tree branch in a city park on Tuesday as stormy </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/weather-news" rel="" target="" title="weather"><span>weather</span></a><span> buffeted </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/new-zealand" rel="" target="" title="New Zealand"><span>New Zealand</span></a><span>'s capital.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/wild-weather" rel="" target="" title="dangerous winds and heavy rain"><span>dangerous winds and heavy rain</span></a><span> disrupted travel, closed schools and cut electricity in parts of the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wind cancelled flights into and out of Wellington for several hours before they resumed to bumpy take-offs and landings. The storm also halted passenger ferry sailings.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/wind-rain-thunderstorm-weather-south-australia-victoria/ac7d42ff-f939-4c2f-9f36-d6cf7be5ba90" rel="" target="" title="Aussies warned to brace for storms, 'rare' destructive winds in southern states"><strong><span>Aussies warned to brace for storms, 'rare' destructive winds in southern states</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The man who died had been injured on Mount Victoria, a popular trail walking spot in the central city.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Authorities urged residents to stay out of the city's parks and reserves because of the danger from falling trees.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A dashcam video taken by a motorist on Tuesday morning showed a pedestrian sent sprawling by a wind gust into the road, where they narrowly avoided being hit by oncoming cars.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/new-zealand-weather-deadly-storm-hits-wellington-with-a-second-more-intense-weather-system-to-follow/4aff5076-3ec4-492c-b9b3-a08c043ac543" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The MetService weather agency said winds were recorded at speeds of up to 120km/h in the area of Kelburn.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wellington is New Zealand's windiest city and known for its howling gales but the gusts were strong even by the capital's standards.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About 10,000 properties were without electricity in the neighbouring rural region of Wairarapa, according to figures from the local lines company. Schools and businesses in the area closed for the day.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Throughout Tuesday the lower North Island, where Wellington is located, and most of the South Island were under wind or rain warnings. In Christchurch on the South Island, gales disrupted flights on Tuesday afternoon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some state highways on both islands were closed due to flooding and landslides.</span></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2024/01/08/08/26/world-weather-2024-pictures-floods-storms-fires-heatwave-snow"><img alt="" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/gZak5omjoIiPG50OTX0l_yHy-eY=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F520df2b3-6503-4944-9104-7e250c77ee95" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/gZak5omjoIiPG50OTX0l_yHy-eY=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F520df2b3-6503-4944-9104-7e250c77ee95 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/d2yZGCXCJAB335F9UHDvB0L0bUE=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F520df2b3-6503-4944-9104-7e250c77ee95 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">'Several hundred' killed in French territory after Cyclone Chido tears through</div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2024/01/08/08/26/world-weather-2024-pictures-floods-storms-fires-heatwave-snow">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In Hawkes Bay on the North Island, the wind toppled a truck, injuring one person and closing the road, authorities said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New Zealand's location in the southern latitudes and the mountain ranges that run the length of the country can produce wild weather throughout the year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>MetService said the tempest is due to ease on Wednesday before a second, more severe, weather system is expected to hit on Thursday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The south eastern parts of Australia are also bracing for an intense weather system but the two are not related.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Destructive winds are forecast to hit parts of South Australia, Victoria and NSW today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This is being caused by a low-pressure system coupled with a cold front, moving across from the west, which has already lashed SA with strong winds as it passed over the state.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Strong winds were expected to intensify overnight and move into eastern parts of Victoria and NSW today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Severe weather warnings were in place across SA, Victoria and NSW, with wind gusts reaching 90km/h to 110km/h expected in some areas overnight.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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