Cyclone Pam might put paid to Nasa's hopes of launching its big helium balloon from Wanaka Airport on Sunday morning.
While no-one was available from Nasa yesterday, Queenstown Airport Corporation communications manager Jen Andrews told the Otago Daily Times the balloon team based at the airport was keeping a close eye on the tropical storm.
In its 3pm ''severe weather outlook'' yesterday, the MetService said there was still ''considerable uncertainty'' about which way Pam would go.
It remained in the tropics yesterday but was tracking southward, just to the east of the southern Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and was continuing to intensify.
Pam was described as a category 4 cyclone, with winds between 157kmh and 198kmh, but about 7am today could become a category 5 with winds more than 198kmh .
The MetService said the cyclone was likely to produce severe weather in the North Island on Monday and Tuesday.
However, the outlook for the South Island was somewhat brighter, as a ridge of high pressure should remain over the island until Monday.
The Nasa balloon team has its own meteorologist in Wanaka and would decide tomorrowafternoon whether or not to go ahead with the launch on Sunday.
Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce would visit the Nasa team this morning and take a behind-the-scenes tour of the operation.
The launch is a test to determine if Wanaka would be suitable for more scientific balloon flights.
