Ex-tropical cyclone Hola is side-swiping New Zealand, with Northland drenched this morning and rain clouds hovering over Auckland. The storm will also deliver rain to Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne later today and overnight, but it is expected to be short-lived. MetService meteorologist Arno Dyason said the eye of Hola was still to the north of New Zealand, but Northland had started seeing the effects. Wind gusts of between 100 to 130km/h are expected in exposed places as the weakening cyclone slides down the northeastern side of the upper North Island today. WeatherWatch NZ said Hola would also bring a significant storm surge with "extremely dangerous" seas and coastal conditions.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 11, 2018 18:11 UTC