Strengthened Tropical Cyclone Hola batters Vanuatu, likely to hit New ZealandVMGHD Tropical Cyclone Hola sits to the west of Vanuatu at 7am Thursday in the satellite image from Vanuatu's Meteorology & Geo-Hazards DepartmentA third cyclone heading for New Zealand this year has intensified to Category 4, with damaging winds striking Vanuatu. Tropical Cyclone Hola crossed islands in the South Pacific country overnight - and will make a path to New Zealand, MetService said. RSMC Nadi Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre Tropical Cyclone Hola's position and expected track, issued by RSMC Nadi Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre about 8.30am Thursday. By 4am Hola had crossed the main islands of Vanuatu and was located to the west of the group. The average for New Zealand was 0.75 ex-tropical cyclones passing within 550kmh of Auckland each November to April cyclone season, Noll said.

Source: Stuff March 07, 2018 17:04 UTC