The North Island is bracing for impact as Cyclone Vaianu approaches.
It was a calm morning for much of the country, but numerous weather warnings, including a rare red wind warning for the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island, were in place.
Category-2 Cyclone Vaianu was forecast to be a "very large, damaging system", according to MetService.
In Northland, a State of Emergency has been declared as a precautionary measure for an initial period of seven days.
Coromandel residents were being warned of a "threat to life" from flying items and falling trees
The cyclone was expected to make landfall on Sunday, with the entire North Island and Eastern Marlborough under some form of weather watch or warning.
According to MetService, the Fair North will be the first to experience strong winds, heavy rain, and rough seas brought by Vaianu from late Saturday.
Overnight and into Sunday, the storm will move south-eastwards across the North Island.
"The combination of damaging winds, heavy rain, and coastal inundation makes this a multi-hazard, potentially life-threatening event," the forecaster said.
"The locations of the most severe impacts associated with Cyclone Vaianu, such as power outages, falling trees, flooding, slips, road closures, and isolated communities, are highly dependent on the cyclone's track.
"People are urged to keep up to date with the latest forecasts, adjust plans as needed and be prepared to act, following all advice of local authorities."
MetService will be updating it's weather warnings at 10am today.
1News meteorologist Dan Corbett said last night that the swirl was still "quite active" with "good flare-ups" to the centre, meaning it "still had some punch".
Corbett said that wind and rain would hit the Far North in the early hours of Sunday, then Rodney, and parts of Auckland.
He said "piling wind gusts" would arrive in the Coromandel later in the day.
"This could be potentially nasty," he said.
Events cancelled and families pack up ahead of Cyclone Vaianu coming in from the north. (Source: 1News)
MetService said there could be severe gale easterlies changing to severe gale west to northwesterlies for the Coromandel on Sunday afternoon, with "damaging" gusts of 140km/h. Winds would start to ease throughout the afternoon as Vaianu moves south.
As Sunday goes on, Vaianu will move south towards the lower North Island and upper South Island, bringing heavy rain and high winds of up to 130 km/h in some exposed places.
"This is going to be a nasty thing," Corbett said.
People in affected areas were urged to be prepared.
This included charging phones and power banks, having a battery-powered radio to listen for updates, preparing a grab bag for everyone in your household, making an evacuation plan, and tying down anything strong winds could pick up, like trampolines.
READ MORE: Cyclone Vaianu - How to prepare before the storm hits
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said her would be in Auckland this morning, witking with NEMA to prepare for the cyclone.
"The Government, MetService, NEMA, Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups, NZDF, Police and FENZ are closely monitoring Cyclone Vaianu and readiness activities are underway across agencies and CDEM Groups ahead of the Cyclone’s arrival," he said.
"The Government stands ready to provide support as required."
Full list of weather warnings:
Strong Wind Warning – Red
Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island – 13 hours from 5am Sunday to 6pm Sunday.
Heavy Rain Warning – Orange
Northland, about and south of Bay of Islands to Hokianga Harbour – 12 hours from 9pm Saturday to 9am Sunday.
Auckland and Great Barrier Island – 12 hours from 2am Sunday to 2pm Sunday.
Coromandel Peninsula, and Bay of Plenty west of Whakatāne including Rotorua – 14 hours from 2am Sunday to 4pm Sunday.
Gisborne/Tairāwhiti north of Tolaga Bay – 14 hours from 2am Sunday to 4pm Sunday.
Strong Wind Warning – Orange
Northland – 15 hours from 11pm Saturday to 2pm Sunday.
Auckland – 19 hours from 9pm Saturday to 4pm Sunday.
Waikato, Waitomo, Taupō and Taumarunui – 12 hours from 10am Sunday to 10pm Sunday.
Bay of Plenty and Rotorua – 15 hours from 4am Sunday to 7pm Sunday.
Gisborne/Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay and Taihape – 16 hours from 10am Sunday to 2am Monday.
Taranaki and Whanganui – 10 hours from 1pm Sunday to 11pm Sunday.
Heavy Rain Watch
Northland north of Bay of Islands to Hokianga Harbour – 12 hours from 7pm Saturday to 7am Sunday.
Waikato – 15 hours from 3am Sunday to 6pm Sunday.
Bay of Plenty about and east of Whakatāne – 15 hours from 6am Sunday to 9pm Sunday.
Gisborne/Tairāwhiti about and south of Tolaga Bay, Hawke’s Bay ranges, and coastal hills south of Napier – 16 hours from 2am Sunday to 6pm Sunday.
Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taupō and Taranaki – 12 hours from 8am Sunday to 8pm Sunday.
Wairarapa, including the Tararua District, also eastern and southern parts of Wellington – 12 hours from 11am Sunday to 11pm Sunday.
Marlborough Sounds, including northeastern areas north of Kaikōura – 10 hours from 2pm Sunday to midnight Sunday.
Strong Wind Watch
MetService meteorologist Heather Keats said despite being downgraded overnight, TC Vaianu was "still a very large, damaging system".
Manawatū, Kapiti Coast and Wellington – 19 hours from 11am Sunday to 6am Monday.
Wairarapa, including the Tararua District – 21 hours from noon Sunday to 9am Monday.
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