Cyclone Vaianu is still expected to be a "very large, damaging system" despite being downgraded to a category 2 cyclone.
MetService meteorologist Heather Keats told Breakfast that the downgrade "doesn't change anything for us".
"It doesn't change the threat, it doesn't change the intensity, it simply changes the structure of it. It means it's not recieving that same tropical fuel that it was getting, so the characteristics change.
She said current yellow heavy rain watches and warnings for the entire North Island would likely be upgraded to orange for many regions in the coming days, and "potentially red warnings".
Path of Cyclone Vaianu firms up as it barrels towards NZ - watch on TVNZ+
"Look it's not likely to go red this morning but as we see more of the understanding of those impacts and intensity of Vaianu as it arrives, we will start to issue red warnings."
She said as it arrives "there is a chance this will be a red-level event".
Keats clarified that a multi-hazard event of this nature means "multi imapcts" including large swells, storm surge, heavy rain and strong winds.
"It could coincide with high tide, on Sunday for places like Whitianga, Whangamatā, that kind of area."
She warned of road closures, communities cut off and power outages for regions which had already been hit hard by severe weather over the last few years.
Keats said people often get fixated on the "eye" of the cyclone, but said this was "not the only problem".
"Some of the worst weather we experience with cyclones in New Zealand is actually hours ahead of that front arriving.
"So yes, that 'eye' if you like, is expected to hit over the top of the Coromandel, move over the Bay of Plenty and out over Hawke's Bay to that east over Sunday. But we're experiencing very, very heavy rain and strong winds hours ahead of that eye arriving."
NEMA urges people to prepare
NEMA's Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management John Price outlined some of the 'critical' impacts, and urged people not to be complacent. (Source: Breakfast)
NEMA’s Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management John Price outlined some of the “critical” impacts, and urged people not to be complacent.
“There’s going to be a number of components to the cyclone. It will hit hard, with a big impact on NZ. It will be significant, it will be fast, it will leave us in its wake."
He said there would be strong winds, downed trees and flooding from intense rainfall.
“We also know with a cyclone or ex-tropical cyclone, you’ll get the impact on the likes of the coast. We’re likely to see anywhere between 6m to 8m swells,” he said.
Asked to compare the intensity to Cyclone Gabrielle, he said the modelling was looking more similar to Cyclone Cook in 2017.
“It’s got a very similar track where it came through at the top of the North Island, came through the East Coast.
He said it was the “calm before the storm”, and urged people to take the time to prepare now.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including fresh warnings about Cyclone Vaianu, and Melania Trump addresses Epstein rumours. (Source: 1News)
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