08/04/2026
Plenty of time to get prepared for Cyclone Vaianu. Make sure you clear gutters & drains, tie down or put away loose items & have sufficient water, food & medications for you and your pets. Charge batteries, power banks, torches, phones etc and assume you will lose power &/or water. Have a battery radio or car radio available for updates. Prepare a grab bag with warm/waterproof clothing, food for you & pets, water, torch, copies or originals of important documents (passports etc). Check on your neighbours and stay alert. Be prepared to move if you feel unsafe, do not wait for official warnings. Never drive through floodwaters. Stay safe everyone.
Cyclone Vaianu Update #2
9 April 2026, 10.45am
Mōrena, we have received an update from MetService who have now included a Heavy Rain Watch into the forecast for this coming weekend.
Situation
Cyclone Vaianu is expected to move southwards across the North Island on Sunday, 12 April. The combination of damaging winds, heavy rain and coastal inundation makes this a multi-hazard, potentially life-threatening event. 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.
Heavy Rain Watch
Area: Auckland and Great Barrier Island
Period: 12hrs from 2:00am Sun to 2:00pm Sun
Forecast: Periods of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning criteria.
Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.
Strong Wind Watch
Area: Northland, Auckland and Great Barrier Island
Period: 21hrs from 9:00pm Sat to 6:00pm Sun
Forecast: Easterly quarter winds turning westerly. Winds are likely to reach severe gale in exposed places and may be damaging, especially during Sunday morning and afternoon.
High chance of upgrading to a Warning.
How you can prepare now
•Keep up-to-date with the weather by downloading the MetService app from the App Store or Google Play, or visit www.metservice.com
•Start preparing your property – check your drains and gutters to ensure they aren’t blocked and clear tree branches, leaves and debris. These can cause flooding issues during heavy rain. Put away or tie down any loose outdoor furniture and trampolines in case of high winds.
•Get ready in case of power outages. Check you’ve got a torch and batteries, keep your phone and power banks charged, and have a battery-operated radio (or your car radio as an alternative).
•Plan travel accordingly. Make sure you drive to the conditions and never drive through floodwaters or over slips.
•The forecast is for predicting large swells and high energy waves. The conditions are not looking ideal for boating or shore fishing.
Feel free to share this message with whānau and friends to help them get prepared too – we’ve got this Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland!
