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Forecasters say Tropical Cyclone Vaianu could lash parts of the North Island with heavy downpours and damaging gale-force winds on Sunday. MetService’s latest severe weather outlook warns the system is expected to track south to southeast across the country. The service says there is high confidence that warning-level rain will hit the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne/Tairāwhiti, as well as the ranges of Hawke’s Bay. There is moderate confidence that heavy rain will also spread from Northland through Waikato and Taupō and south to Wairarapa, the eastern hills of Wellington, the Marlborough Sounds and Kaikōura. Lower confidence of warning rain remains for the southwest of the North Island, from Waitomo to Kāpiti, and for Fiordland. Strong winds are also expected to build to severe gale force in exposed parts of the North Island. Winds are forecast to initially blow from the east to southeast before swinging southwesterly as the cyclone moves south. ‘Act now’ - Nema The National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) is warning Kiwis to “act now” as Tropical Cyclone Vaianu heads for New Zealand. MetService modelling shows Vaianu bringing heavy rain and extremely strong winds to parts of the country on Friday and Saturday, with red severe weather warnings possible. Nema director of civil defence emergency management John Price said people should start preparing now before the storm arrives, as “later could be too late”. “If you can, make sure drains around your property are clear of waste and debris, and bring inside or tie down anything that strong winds could break or pick up,” he said. “Trust your danger sense and don’t wait for official warnings. Do not enter floodwaters as they are dangerous and can kill you.” Price said landslides were an “almost certainty” in some areas, with the ground already saturated after recent heavy rain. “Watch for warning signs like small slips or rockfalls, water flowing out of a slope, trees or fences that start to tilt, or doors and window frames that begin to stick. “Also take care around trees, which may become unstable and fall.” He said the storm would be especially tough for communities still recovering from recent severe weather and urged people to support one another and reach out for help if needed. Weather alerts issued Authorities are bracing for a potentially “significant and damaging” storm ahead of the Category 3 cyclone hitting New Zealand. MetService says the cyclone is expected to first move across the top of the country this weekend, with the entire North Island now under a strong wind watch for 22 hours from 1am to 11pm on Sunday. Chris Penk, Acting Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery, told the Herald there’s potential for Cyclone Vaianu to be “significant and damaging”. Fresh out of an emergency ministerial briefing this morning, he said the Government is not taking the storm lightly and neither should Kiwis. “There’s certainly potential for Vaianu to be significant and damaging. “It’s unwelcome news for the areas recently affected by bad weather ... just recently, at the start of the year and of course Cyclone Gabrielle and other floods.” The entire North Island is under a strong wind watch from 1am to 11pm on Sunday as Cyclone Vaianu makes its way down from the tropics. Image / MetService All eyes are on Northland and the upper North Island as the cyclone is expected to reach the top of the country by Saturday. Speaking to the media this afternoon, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon acknowledged the prospect of Cyclone Vaianu hitting the country. “It’ll likely have a big impact on the North Island, particularly on Sunday. “We’re encouraging people to stock up, get supplies and tie things down.” He said emergency agencies are on full notice and are ready for it. “It’s important we use the time we’ve got to make sure people are prepared at homes and households.” Penk told the Herald the potential scale of the storm is “beyond the recent e...
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