Emergency preparations are being made in eastern areas of the North Island as cyclone Pam makes its way to New Zealand.
Residents in Gisborne, Northern Hawkes Bay, eastern Bay of Plenty have been urged to prepare for severe weather tonight and all day tomorrow.
MetService has warned from 9pm tonight until 9pm tomorrow 180mm to 220mm of rain could fall about the ranges and 120mm to 140mm near the coast.
Severe winds with gusts about 120 km/h and 160 km/h could be experienced about the eastern Bay of Plenty.
Eastern areas of Northland and Auckland could be in for significant rainfall and dangerous sea conditions from tonight to tomorrow, Auckland Civil Defence said. Exposed areas of the Hauraki Gulf could experience severe winds.
Residents north of Whangaparaoa were warned of seas could rise to around 3.5m on Sunday afternoon and further rise to 5m on Monday morning.
Streams and rivers could also flood north of Whangaparaoa.
Auckland Civil Defence said general disruption across the city from localised problems was more likely than prolonged power outages or significant damage.
Emergency operations centre were being established in Gisborne and was on stand-by in Hawkes Bay.
Richard Steele, spokesman for Gisborne Civil Defence, said preparations would be made today to ensure communications and services in the emergency operation centre were ready for anything.
He said Civil Defence volunteers in communities along the eastern coast would be door-knocking and making phone calls to ensure all residents were aware of what was coming.
"Our main concern is the swell and the winds. Because the wind could bring trees on to power lines and we'll lose power," he said.
"We are expecting the wind and the rain to start on the coast late Sunday evening but down in the city we won't see it until Monday morning."
Mr Steele said there was a river at Tolaga Bay they were watching for risk of flooding.
Hawkes Bay Civil Defence spokesman Ian Macdonald said his team were planning for a response to coastal communities.
"We're starting to prepare and plan for a possible response for anything that happens in those locations," he said.
Volunteers were ensuring more isolated and coastal communities were prepared, and Civil Defence staff were liaising with emergency services, he said.
It was a good time to check emergency survival kits and update household emergency plans, Mr Macdonald said.
Civil Defence advised people to have a battery-powered torch, radio, food and water.
People living in low-lying areas prone to flooding should be prepared with a getaway kit in case evacuations were ordered.
Philip Duncan of WeatherWatch.co.nz said Cyclone Pam's direct hit on Vanuatu was more ferocious than expected.
"It's certainly a sizeable, memorable, historical storm."
Mr Duncan said as the cyclone moves south in the Pacific Ocean it will be fast moving and any small change in the direction it is moving would have a big effect on where the storm will be felt in New Zealand.
"Once it starts appearing on our New Zealand-based weather stations then it gets a little bit easier for us to know."
He said he expected the regions of East Cape, Gisborne, eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Hawkes Bay would start to see the severe winds and heavy rain associated with the cyclone from late tonight.
"It looks as though it will rapidly increase overnight," Mr Duncan said.
People could go to bed thinking the storm was only minor and wake up to gale-force winds, he said.
He described the area between Whakatane and Wairoa, Gisborne and East Cape as the most exposed to the extreme winds.
While the forecast path of the cyclone and it's affect on New Zealand is still uncertain, Mr Duncan said if cyclone Pam had changed course it would be known by first thing today.
Civil Defence advises people:
* Listen to local radio.
* Make sure you have sufficient water and food to last three days.
* Treat all power lines as live at all times.
* Clear gutters and drains on your property.
* Have matches ready to light gas appliances.
By Sophie Ryan of NZME. News Service
