Cyclone Hola continues to develop, tracking slightly east of Northland, Auckland, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty

March 9, 2018

The category four cyclone brought 170km/h winds to Vanuatu yesterday.

The US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning centre reports that Cyclone Hola continues to develop between Vanuatu and New Caledonia, with an updated track prediction map adjusted a little towards the North Island.

The JTWC issued its latest warnings and prediction at 4am today, with the central path moving a little towards the North Island, but with a wider spread in the possible track.

Current estimates from the JTWC put Hola's arrival in New Zealand overnight Sunday, as it skirts down to the east of Northland, Auckland, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.

According to the JTWC, Hola has barely moved since yesterday, moving at just 1 knot in the past six hours, and still between Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Fiji's Meteorological Service issued its latest update at 2.48am NZT, showing that Hola remains a Category-4 cyclone.

Meanwhile, predictions from GFS/NCEP/US National Weather Service show that Hola will move down to the west of the North Island from Monday morning.

The TVNZ weatherman tracks the cyclone currently well north of the country in the Pacific Ocean.

Yesterday, TVNZ meteorologist Dan Corbett said it was becoming a "really nasty thing" as it gained strength near New Caledonia.

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