Cyclone Vaianu

Situation

As of 10 April 2026 @9.15am

We’re continuing to monitor Cyclone Vaianu as it tracks towards the North Island this weekend. It’s expected that Cyclone Vaianu will bring strong winds and heavy rain across the district from Saturday, with the most significant impacts on Sunday.

Heavy rain and strong winds may cause: 

• Flash flooding and rapidly rising water 
• Landslides and falling trees 
• Dangerous driving conditions and road closures 
• Power outages 

Keep an eye on MetService New Zealand Facebook page and website, who have issued weather watches across the North Island and will be updated as we head into the weekend. 

How to get prepared

While there’s still some uncertainty around its exact path, weather is unpredictable and recent events have highlighted that while we can monitor forecasts, it is always important to be as prepared as possible.

• Clear gutters and drains.
• Bring inside or tie down items that can be broken or picked up by strong winds (e.g. garden furniture, trampolines).
• Keep materials at hand for repairing windows, such as tarpaulins, boards and duct tape.
• Identify a safe location in your whare/home for household members to gather. This should be a place away from windows, skylights, or glass doors, which can be broken by strong winds and cause damage or injury.
• Check on whaanau, neighbours, and anyone who might need help.
• Move farm animals to areas that are safe from flooding and high winds, and stay up to date with support from Waikato Rural Support Trust.
• Stay up to date with the latest weather information from MetService New Zealand.

More information on preparing for storms is available at https://getready.govt.nz/

Need help?

Call 111 immediately if there’s a threat to life.

Call 0800 492 452 for urgent issues (flooding, slips, fallen trees, road damage, access issues)

Report a problem through Antenno or our Report It page for non-urgent issues

For ongoing updates, go to the Waikato Civil Defence website and follow the Facebook pages for Waikato Civil Defence and Waikato District Council.

Check roading information at www.nzta.govt.nz if you need to travel

To report a power outage or check power outage information call Counties Energy on 0800 100 202 or WEL Networks on 0800 100 202. Alternatively, you can go to their websites, linked on their names.

For the latest weather and forecast charts please go to www.metservice.com.