Ex-tropical cyclone Wilma is now well clear of the North Island as she quickly heads out into the Pacific Ocean towards the Chatham Islands.

Wilma will now start a rapid deepening process that will help push a strong south westerly across the entire country and churn up large seas along the east coast.

The storm, formerly Tropical Cyclone Wilma, still has a central air pressure of 978hPa and will start to deepen again as she clears New Zealand. Apart from the Chatham Islands the system no longer poses a threat to the country.

But strong winds in her wake are now pushing across the nation. Gale or near gale winds are affecting exposed parts of the Far North, Auckland, Taupo, East Cape, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu.

In the South Island, between a high to the west and Wilma to the north east, near gale winds are also pushing into exposed parts of Canterbury, the West Coast and Southland.