A cyclone looming north of New Zealand has "strengthened" and its path is uncertain, a forecaster has warned.
For several days now, computer modelling has been unsure about where Cyclone Oma will go once it moves on from New Caledonia next week.
There are two likely options, according to forecaster Weather Watch.
- Weather: Summer temperatures soar in the north
- Gigantic Australian dust cloud making its way to New Zealand
- Weather: Tropical storms brewing north of New Zealand pose threat
The cyclone could move west towards Queensland or fall south into the Tasman Sea once high pressure over New Zealand clears away, which it could do next week.
If the second option becomes reality, Weather Watch warned that New Zealand could be in for a battering of rain, and the likeliness of this happening is around 30 percent.
There is currently no direct threat to New Zealand from the cyclone, Weather Watch said on Thursday, but it said a "lot of natural forces want to pull it New Zealand's way".
"It's one to monitor in the days ahead - and if you need rain this may still be one of the best shots at getting it," the forecaster said.
"But [there are] still a lot of moving parts to monitor and high pressure still has a greater chance of keeping much of the country dry for now."
A warning about the cyclone was issued by Weather Watch last week, when it was first recognised that a low appeared to be moving towards New Zealand from the direction of New Caledonia.
New Zealand also faces the threat of an enormous cloud of dust coming from Australia that MetService on Wednesday could affect some parts of the country.
Newshub.
