Cyclone Hola update: Northland to Gisborne (including east of Auckland) most at risk

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Today, as Cyclone Hola barrels towards New Zealand, it will hit the Loyalty Islands east of New Caledonia with winds of up to 130 km/h and gusts of up to 170 km/h.

The cyclone is expected to reach Lifou, the most populous island in the archipelago, around 10 a.m. local time, New Caledonia News reported.

However, the weather monitoring agency said in a statement that the storm is expected to weaken into a cyclone before reaching Northland.

As Cyclone Hola approaches, New Zealand’s northern regions (Northland, parts of Auckland, eastern Waikato, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, East Cape and Gisborne) appear most vulnerable to severe weather.

tropical wind #CycloneHola:

– Category 3 storm near the Loyalty Islands, with gusts up to 185 km/h.

– It will move towards the south-southeast during the next 2 days.

– Located near or slightly east of the upper North Island on Monday.

– Rain and wind are likely across the North Island on Monday and Monday night. pic.twitter.com/yMqHsihi04

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) March 9, 2018

“Currently, the storm is moving towards the southeast and its speed is increasing. However, overall, the storm system is gradually weakening as it moves away from the equator and into less favorable conditions,” the weather watch said.

The Red Cross urged New Zealanders to be prepared if a storm hits and to check they have the essentials they need to evacuate.

After crossing the Pacific Ocean, #CycloneHola It’s expected to hit New Zealand next week. Make sure you and your family are prepared. Here’s a practical guide on what to take with you if you have to leave home. #be prepared pic.twitter.com/jWRyJVLwgK

— New Zealand Red Cross (@NZRedCross) March 9, 2018

According to Weather Watch, it is not yet clear when Hora might make landfall in New Zealand. Most data suggests Hora is likely to make landfall on Monday. But other forecast models predict it will make landfall a day earlier or later.

The latest forecast from the MetService also predicts the storm will hit here on Monday.

Three-day forecast #CycloneHola From the GFS model – Passing northeast of the North Island on Monday. A new TC may appear over the Coral Sea next week, the model is slightly different… pic.twitter.com/yhtHjEVk34

— chrisnoble_nz (@chrisnoble_nz) March 9, 2018

The weather watch said Cyclone Hola is a “compact” storm, which means it is difficult to track its centre accurately.

According to the latest update from the weather watch, if the storm moves slightly east, most areas will avoid its worst impacts as most of the severe weather will stay offshore.

However, if sea levels shift slightly westwards, much of the upper North Island, including Auckland, will bear the brunt of the impact.

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