Conditions overnight were less favourable for Tropical Cyclone Vania as she passed just to the east of New Caledonia.

The storm is now a strong category 1 cyclone with sustained winds of 83km/h, down 17km/h from last night.

The Fiji Meteorological Service expects Vania to remain a category 1 cyclone for the rest of Saturday but may fall back to a tropical depression by Sunday, 24 hours earlier than expected. 

Latest tracking predicts Vania will move down the west coast of New Zealand and may well make landfall further south than expected.

It’s possible the remnants of Cyclone Vania may push heavy rain back into northern and western parts of the South Island.

Meanwhile another tropical storm is expected to join forces with Vania on Sunday or Monday. 

WeatherWatch.co.nz says it’s increasingly likely that rain will be the main feature for New Zealand with the latest computer models showing the air pressure “filling up” as the system moves closer to New Zealand.

As with any tropical storm WeatherWatch.co.nz suggests you check back for regular updates over the coming days.