Tracking of Cyclone Vaianu has shifted slightly eastwards today, reducing some severe weather in the west of the North Island but may be more intense now for the eastern BOP, East Cape and other parts of the north-eastern North Island.

Vaianu is expected to make landfall this afternoon in BOP and as it tracks over the North Island a strong to gale westerly change moves in behind it for northern and western parts of the North Island for a time, then that will spread east, replacing NE gales in eastern areas with NW gales tonight.

Heavy rain is also affecting the top of the South Island, around Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough with rain expected to continue today before easing, and more heavy rain and showers around parts of the North Island over the coming 24 hours.

By Monday daytime Vaianu’s centre will be east of NZ and by the end of Monday the storm is gone.

Keep up to date with MetService warnings and watches incase there are any further changes to the forecast today. The rain radar will be the most effective way to track the storm’s progress in real time today.