Blustery winds are still causing trouble across the upper North Island -- and a wave of thunderstorms is sweeping across Auckland

Winds have reached 133 kilometres an hour on Coromandel Peninsula - and 128 kilometres an hour at Manukau Heads.

Power has been knocked out to tens of thousands, public transport is disrupted, and people are being warned to drive carefully.

A severe thunderstorm watch applies until 7pm for Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel and Waikato .