The storm that has caused chaos for the past day is just hours away from making landfall, with king tides, gales and driving rain continuing to cause widespread damage across the upper North Island.

Thousands remain without power as trees and powerlines topple in the hurricane strength winds blast the island.

The Hauraki District Council says people in low-lying areas of Kaiaua village and East Coast Rd in this area are advised to urgently self-evacuate to higher ground due to this morning's king tide.

Two southbound lanes of Auckland's Northern Motorway are closed because of flooding and traffic is building up.

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Firefighters are currently helping residents and civil defence crews are also on their way to help with the evacuation.

East Coast Rd is now closed by rising floodwaters.

Major roads, including Auckland's Northern Motorway and SH25 on the Coromandel, are blocked by flooding. Many other roads across the upper north island are partially blocked by slips and downed trees.

The swirling storm, which is sitting off the west coast of the North Island, is due to make landfall near Taranaki at midday.

It will then track over the island for the rest of the day before clearing the country's eastern coastline on Saturday.

Niwa says the upper and western regions of the North Island will continue to be hammered by storm force wind gusts and rain until this afternoon.

Coastal roads are beginning to go under water - some for the third time in 24 hours - as king tides are swollen even more by storm surges.

Police have closed the Thames Coast Rd due to debris and rocks being washed onto lanes by the incoming tide.

Auckland's Tamaki Dr has been left impassable and is closed again this morning.

Two lanes on the city's Northern Motorway have been left blocked by rising floodwaters.

Vehicles are beginning to be stuck in floodwaters in Auckland and Christchurch. A bus is stranded on Tamaki Dr near Kohimarama.

Record levels of rain have fallen in the past 24 hours with 41mm falling in Auckland since 9am yesterday - more than all of November and December combined.

The Gisborne region has been deluged overnight with a whopping 200mm falling on the eastern tip of the North Island.

Tairawhiti Civil Defence said 208.5mm was recorded at Waikura in the past 24 hours while 189.4mm fell at Rip, 178.5mm fell at Oweka and 124mm at Pakihiroa.

Around 30,000 households and businesses across the North Island have been hit by power cuts in recent hours as strong winds bring trees down on power lines.

The strong winds have left a trail of debris across Auckland with over $100,000 of storm damage on Awhitu Peninsula, near Manukau Heads.

In a coastal community south of Auckland the overnight chaotic weather has flooded houses, cars and broke down a sea wall.

Aucklander Will Hay, who is holidaying at the family bach on Hudson's Beach, was woken up at 2.30am by the storm. Outside a 4.5m king tide had flooded nearby baches and cars - including two Audi vehicles.

Hay estimated the water reached 60m back from where it usually stops. The most damage was done to the sea wall where the water had eaten sand and earth away on both sides of the wall.

"There's been huge erosion overnight and the sea wall couldn't stand up to the waves and winds

"It's pretty bad. Our section is about 250m long and there's not one spot on the wall that's still relatively intact, it's all pretty smashed up.

Hay said the next high tide was due at 2.30pm and all the local residents were nervous the flooding would repeat itself.

The sea wall cost around $70,000 to erect a decade ago and would likely need to be fully replaced, Hay said. He estimated that along with the flood damage to homes and cars that could be written off the damage would come in around $150,000.