Severe tropical cyclone Jasmine remains a category 4 storm this morning as it continues its trek directly north of New Zealand.

The Fiji Met Service says Jasmine is moving south east at 18km/h.

Jasmine has sustained winds of 213km/h near the centre with gusts to 260km/h according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre.

The cyclone should start to gradually weaken in about 24 hours.

Cyclones have 5 categories – 5 being the strongest, like Cyclone Yasi last year which walloped rural Queensland.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says Jasmine has a fortuitous path, taking it halfway between Port Vila in Vanuatu and Noumea in New Caledonia – sparing both tourist destinations a direct highly damaging hit.

However some islands in between will not be so lucky – a direct hit could have catastrophic consequences for some coastal communities.

Cyclone Jasmine will continue to curve towards New Zealand as it drifts more south in the next couple of days but an incoming high from the Tasman Sea is expected to then turn Jasmine more easterly and away from NZ.

The storm is unlikely to come any closer than 800kms to New Zealand.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says the storm is unlikely to affect New Zealand weather-wise but swimmers and boaties along the east coast from Cape Reinga to Gisborne should monitor sea conditions as offshore storms like this can create deadly rips along New Zealand beaches – even if the weather here is settled and sunny.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz