Newly graded Category 2 Cyclone Gita has been wreaking havoc on Samoa as it made landfall.
The cyclone is expected to hit Samoa, Fiji and Niue over the weekend as meteorologists watch to see if it will make its way to New Zealand.
- New Zealand will need to abandon some coastal areas - climate change expert
- Cyclone Fehi: Bystanders bowled over by huge storm surge in Nelson
- Nelson Cyclone Fehi clean-up to cost millions
Samoa residents have taken to twitter to share images of the cyclone's force, showing flooding in some areas and trees blown over by high winds.
The Fiji government is currently handling the forecast for Cyclone Gita and MetService will take over when it comes closer to New Zealand.
On Thursday Weather Watch predicted the cyclone could come to New Zealand and may become a much bigger storm than the recent ex-cyclone Fehi.
According to American modelling the cyclone could cause a direct hit to Auckland and Northland, while European modelling says it could impact both the North and South Islands.
"This storm is forecast to be a much bigger storm than Fehi was but once again it is still too early to know if it will impact the New Zealand area weatherwise and what shape or tracking it will take on as it leaves the tropics," a spokesperson said
At the time Government forecaster MetService was slightly more conservative, saying a forecast for Cyclone Gita's trajectory cannot be made until at least Sunday February 11.
Newshub.
