However, the storm was expected to be downgraded to an ex-cyclone before it reaches Northland, Weather Watch said in a statement. The north of the country - Northland, parts of Auckland, eastern Waikato, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, East Cape and Gisborne - appear to be most at risk of wild weather as Hola nears. It was not completely clear when Hola was likely to make landfall in New Zealand, according to Weather Watch. Cyclone Hola was a “compact” storm, Weather Watch said, which meant it was hard to precisely track its centre. However, much of the upper North Island - including Auckland - would bear the brunt if it shifted slightly west.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 10, 2018 01:07 UTC