Cyclone Gabrielle is yet another blow for Auckland florists, according to Auckland florist Erica Fullerton.
Fullerton, who works at Flowers After Hours in Parnell, told 1News business has been impacted "massively" by the wild weather.
"In terms of Valentine's Day, we are usually inundated with orders at this point and we're just not, people aren't out and about and coming in and celebrating.
"I just feel really, really bad for everyone involved, this is a day that we really rely on every year you know it's Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, those are the days you rely on to have huge days and make a really good profit."
She said it's hard to know the full extent of the impacts but is hoping for a late influx of Valentine's orders this afternoon.
Owner of Auckland florist Wild Poppies Kerry Bradburn also says business has been badly affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.
However, she did say it may make things "easier" to have less orders on Valentine's Day as usually the shop is flat out making and delivering hundreds of orders.
"I think it would be difficult for anyone not to be impacted, it's definitely affected sales, I think a lot of people are hanging back and they're nervous.
"In a way it's been quite good because it's helped with the volume because normally we'd be dealing with twice as many orders."
Bradburn says she's worried about the lack of certainty, "because we deal with a very perishable product".
"Not knowing exactly what's going to happen is quite scary."
New Zealand Professional Florists president Megan Barker says growers have been able to pick their flowers earlier in preparation for the cyclone which has been one positive for the industry.
She said the damage is yet to be seen but some florists are "furiously picking" their flowers to save them before the worst of the weather hits.
"Valentine's Day is always that magical, crazy manic time and they [florists] will be preparing as much as they can today for people to walk in and collect, most of the florists will be working all night tonight.
"Just with the last couple of weeks Auckland has been impacted enough, you had massive lockdowns over Covid so our poor businesses have just had quite a devastating time over the last couple of years.
"You want everyone to be on the win win, you want customers to be happy, you want flowers to be sold, you don't want people losing money."
Barker said all people can do now is hope for the best: "There's a lot riding on it for everybody, you know the expense of flowers, you're buying so much more at this point in time and it's fresh product, it's just like fruit and veggies, they go off."
The impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle are being felt across the upper North Island, with large waves, slips, power outages and flooding.
States of local emergency remain in place for Auckland, Coromandel, Northland, Tairāwhiti, Waikato, Hauraki, Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki.
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