Buckland Community Emergency Hub

11/04/2026

Updated trajectory.

| "Our regional overview is that the main risks remain damaging winds, saturated ground, coastal inundation, slips, road disruption and power outages."

Stay up to date with all the latest information via RNZ's live blog below 🔗

11/04/2026

Latest tracking map @ 8pm Saturday

🆕 The latest track map has been issued for Cyclone Vaianu.

⛈️ Remember, severe weather can happen well away from the centre; heavy rain, strong winds, and large waves can, and often do, reach far beyond that line.

The blue cone shows where the centre of the cyclone might move - it does NOT give an indication of where any severe weather may be. The black line down the middle is the best forecast path, but the system could be anywhere inside the cone.

Although Vaianu has lost its tropical cyclone characteristics, it remains a deep, active area of low pressure. To aid communication, MetService retains the name “Cyclone Vaianu” in our forecasts and Severe Weather Warnings.

11/04/2026

UPDATE CYCLONE VAIANU



In the event of severe emergency in the Buckland Area and providing it is safe to do so Buckland Hall will be stood up with access to support, information, refreshments etc. We will post on this page if this happens.

11/04/2026

Be prepared and stay safe
In the event of severe emergency in the Buckland Area and providing it is safe to do so Buckland Hall will be stood up with access to support, information, refreshments etc. We will post on this page if this happens.

🚨 STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED FOR THE WAIKATO CDEM GROUP AREA

A State of Emergency has been declared for the Waikato CDEM Group Area at 9.32am this morning for a period of seven days, as a proactive step ahead of the arrival of Cyclone Vaianu this evening.

This decision has been made due to the likelihood of significant impacts across the area, including damaging winds, flooding, and disruption to power and transport networks.

Declaring a State of Emergency allows Civil Defence to coordinate the response across Waikato and, if required, use emergency powers to help protect life and property. These powers can include closing roads, evacuating areas, and accessing resources quickly.

At this stage, we do not know whether these powers will need to be used or not. However, declaring early means we can act quickly if conditions worsen, or if the cyclone unexpectedly changes track.

👉 Head to our website for more information: https://www.waikatocivildefence.govt.nz/public-information/cyclone-vaianu/

Kia kaha Waikato

11/04/2026

Be prepared and stay safe
In the event of severe emergency in the Buckland Area and providing it is safe to do so Buckland Hall will be stood up with access to support, information, refreshments etc. We will post on this page if this happens.

UPDATE Monday 13 April | Mōrena everyone. All of our Civil Defence Centres have now CLOSED. Thank you to all of the council staff, our response teams and volunteers and our community partners who worked together to stand these sites up and take care of our communities 🫶❤️

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UPDATE TO CIVIL DEFENCE CENTRE OPENING HOURS:
Sunday 12 April, 2:40pm

We've had 28 people using our Civil Defence Centres overnight, and we're now in the process of closing down those no longer required.

UPCOMING CLOSURES ON SUNDAY 12 APRIL:
-Helensville War Memorial Hall - closing at 2.00pm
-Shoesmith Hall, Warkworth - closing at 6.30pm

These centres will be on standby to open again should the need arise.

-Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland CBD will be stood down at 8pm, transitioning to close at 8am tomorrow Monday 13 April.

Ostend Hall on Waiheke Island and Wellsford Community Centre will remain open overnight.

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Good afternoon Auckland, a couple of really important things.

1️⃣ We've just issued an emergency mobile alert to the Auckland region. We're taking every opportunity to make sure our communities use this afternoon to prepare for Cyclone Vaianu and have a plan in place for Sunday.

2️⃣ From 9pm tonight (Saturday) five Civil Defence Centres will be open.

If you need to leave your home, can’t get home, or can't shelter with friends or whānau overnight, temporary shelter will be available at our Civil Defence Centres in the wider Auckland region.

- Ostend Hall, Waiheke Island - Belgium Street, Ostend, Waiheke Island
- Wellsford Community Centre, 1 Matheson Road, Wellsford
- Shoesmith Hall, Shoesmith Street and Brown Road, Warkworth
- Helensville War Memorial Hall, 2 Porter Crescent Helensville
- Ellen Melville Centre, 2 Freyberg Place Auckland

🏠These centres will provide shelter, light snacks, and some basic sleeping arrangements.

👕 Please bring warm clothing and essential items like medicines, baby and children’s items and special food you may need.

♿️ All Civil Defence Centres are wheelchair accessible

🐶 A small number of pets can be accommodated (cats must be in cages and dogs on a lead).

Check our website for more detail: https://www.aucklandemergencymanagement.govt.nz/your-local/emergency-relief-centres/

Stay safe everyone 🫶

10/04/2026

PLEASE WATCH THIS!

---Cyclone Vaianu is expected to move southwards across the North Island on Sunday, 12 April. The current track of the cyclone can be found at https://www.me...

10/04/2026

CYCLONE VAUANU LATEST UPDATE
FRI 10TH 10.45 am

Please follow instructions and be prepared & stay safe.

UPDATE: Sunday 12 April, 10.30am

MetService New Zealand has updated the Strong Wind Warning for Aotea Great Barrier Island.

STRONG WIND WARNING - ORANGE for Great Barrier Island
Area: Great Barrier Island
Period: 8hrs from 12:00pm Sun to 8:00pm Sun
Forecast: Gale easterlies changing to severe gale westerlies this afternoon, with gusts of 120km/h in exposed places.
Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.
Impact: Damage to trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures possible. Driving may be difficult, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.

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UPDATE: Friday 10 April, 9.25pm
Ahi ahi marie Tāmaki. All three warnings have changed their times.

❗️STRONG WIND WARNING - RED for Aotea Great Barrier Island for 17 hours from 1.00am Sunday 12 April to 6.00pm Sunday 12 April.

❗️HEAVY RAIN WARNING - ORANGE FOR AUCKLAND AND AOTEA GREAT BARRIER ISLAND for 17 hours from 9.00pm Saturday 11 April to 2.00pm Sunday 12 April

❗️STRONG WIND WATCH - ORANGE FOR AUCKLAND EXCEPT AOTEA GREAT BARRIER ISLAND for 21 hours from 9.00pm Saturday 11 April to 6.00pm Sunday 12 April

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UPDATE: Friday 10 April, 10.45am
Mōrena Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, we have three updated weather warnings from MetService New Zealand on the expected impacts of Cyclone Vaianu to the Auckland region.

❗️STRONG WIND WARNING - RED for Aotea Great Barrier Island for 13 hours from 5.00am Sunday 12 April to 6.00pm Sunday 12 April.

What to expect: Severe gale easterlies changing to severe gale westerly Sunday afternoon, with damaging gusts of 140km/h. Note winds easing from the north during Sunday afternoon.

What to do: Be prepared to shelter in place, stay indoors and away from trees. Avoid travel. Be ready for communication outages.

❗️HEAVY RAIN WARNING - ORANGE FOR AUCKLAND AND AOTEA GREAT BARRIER ISLAND for 12 hours from 2.00am Sunday 11 April to 2.00pm Sunday 12 April

What to expect: 70 to 100mm of rain to accumulate. Peak rates of 10 to 20mm an hour.

What to do: Be prepared for streams and rivers that may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions are possible. Clear your drains and gutters to prepare for heavy rain. Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously.

❗️STRONG WIND WATCH - ORANGE FOR AUCKLAND EXCEPT AOTEA GREAT BARRIER ISLAND for 19 hours from 9.00pm Saturday 11 April to 4.00pm Sunday 12 April

What to expect: Severe gale easterlies changing to severe gale westerlies Sunday afternoon. Gusting 130km per hour in exposed places. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Red warning.

What to do: Damage to trees, powerlines and unsecured structures possible. Driving may be difficult, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles. Prepare your property by securing items that can be picked up by strong winds. Drive cautiously.

Now's the time to prepare while there's still time. Talk to whānau and friends and make a plan - find out more at https://www.aucklandemergencymanagement.govt.nz/get-prepared/get-home-ready/

10/04/2026

CYCLONE VAIANU LATEST UPDATE

Please use the link to advise you how to prepare and stay safe.
Fri 10th - 11am

09/04/2026

Weather Update on Cyclone Vaianu @ 11.00 am Thursday 9th

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!

09/04/2026

Latest Update on How to Prepare For Cyclone Vaianu

Now's the time to prepare! Here's some advice on how to get ready for the incoming weather event.

https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2026/04/prepare-now-for-cyclone-vaianu/

08/04/2026

Keep alert and stay informed about Cyclone Vaianu scheduled to arrive in the North Island on Sunday 👀