- Heavy rain and strong wind warnings and watches are now in place for the North Island including Auckland, Northland, Coromandel, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay

- Rain set to hit many areas from Sunday through to Tuesday

- Grab and go: A list of what to pack in a ‘grab bag’

- Air New Zealand asks all passengers to reconsider travel

- Rescue teams, army heading into Northland

- Bay of Plenty residents urged to prepare for strong wind, heavy rain

- Hawke’s Bay prepares for the worst - ‘we’ll see some boats sideways’

Met Service has issued a new series of weather warnings that cover the entire North Island - including the most severe rain warnings for Coromandel and East Coast - as Cyclone Gabrielle rapidly approaches the country. The first of the warnings comes into effect tonight, with many more tomorrow, and wind watches for the lower North Island from Monday.

The agency now has 17 warnings or watches in place from Northland to Wellington - including the highest red warning for heavy rain for Coromandel (from 3am Sunday to 3am Tuesday) and Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay (from 3pm Sunday to 6am Tuesday).

Orange-level heavy rain warnings have been issued for Northland (9pm tonight to 9pm Sunday) and Auckland north of Whangaparaoa (3am to 10pm Sunday). Orange-level heavy rain watches have been issued for Auckland south of Whangaparaoa (6am Sunday to noon Tuesday); Gisborne south of Tolaga Bay (9am Monday to 9am Tuesday) and Hawke’s Bay (noon Monday to noon Tuesday).

Strong wind warnings have been issued for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island and Coromandel while strong wind watches have been issued for Bay of Plenty, Buller, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Kapiti-Horowhenua, Manawatu, Marlborough, Nelson, Rotorua, Taihape, Taranaki, Tararua, Taumarunui, Taupo, Waikato, Wairarapa, Waitomo, Whanganui, Wellington. The wind watches apply from early on Sunday for northern areas and from Monday evening for Wellington and the lower North Island.

Met Service has issued a series of rain and wind warnings and watches for the entire North Island.

The warnings come as North Islanders are urged to make the most of today to clear gutters, lay sandbags and “calmly and wisely” prepare for the cyclone’s arrival set to bring heavy rain, storm surges and severe gusts.

Homes and roads could be damaged across the North Island as heavy downpours of up to 300mm and severe winds gusting 150km/h are tipped to hit. Rain is expected to start falling in many areas from tomorrow and last through until Tuesday afternoon.

Auckland, Northland and Coromandel residents can expect to feel Cyclone Gabrielle’s first effects from Sunday, with the most severe weather expected on Monday and Tuesday.

People are urged to stay off the water as storm surges and waves between 5m-and-7m are forecast for parts of the northern and eastern coastlines.

They are also asked to stock at least three days’ worth of medicine, water and food and to prepare for possible power and running water outages along with restricted travel conditions.

The MetService warns parts of Gisborne could record 400mm of rain.

‘Prepare to leave if you need to’

Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson says Cyclone Gabrielle is drawing closer and is set to be an “impactful event”.

Speaking at today’s 1pm Auckland Emergency Management briefing, Simpson said people need to get ready with emergency supplies before tomorrow. “Prepare to leave if you need to,” she said.

Simpson said Mayor Wayne Brown had been with authorities in Mt Eden helping get the city ready.

The MetService will be providing a more detailed weather forecast tomorrow, but the advice so far would differ from the storm a fortnight ago.

Prepare for strong winds and big waves, she said. “There may be further power outages and we ask that you factor that into your preparation,” she said.

She urged people to check with their employers, schools and Kura for their cyclone planning.

The council’s waste management team had been out in Auckland today to finalise kerbside collection.

Simpson urged people not to put any further waste out, and to store it securely. “Being personally prepared means we can focus at Emergency Management on the places where they are needed the most.

“We are very concerned about the public access to sandbags,” she said. “Use this time carefully to get prepared, let’s get through this together.”

Adam Maggs, Controller at Auckland Emergency Management, said the agency had confirmed Civil Defence Centres (CDCs).

There is a CDC or shelter in every local board area across Auckland.

If your life was in danger or your home was flooded then get to a CDC or a shelter, Maggs said.

Pets can be brought to centres and shelters but dogs must be leashed and muzzled where possible and cats in a cage, Maggs said.

He said there was a strong desire from Aucklanders to protect their property with sandbags.

Maggs urged people to look for other ways to protect their property first, and Auckland Emergency Management was urgently working to supply bags and sand at three collection points in Mairangi Bay, St Heliers, and Westgate.

“Demand is significant,” he said.

He recommended people not take sand from the beach due to contamination.

Lockdown flashback: Kiwis rush to supermarkets

Aucklanders have rushed to supermarkets this morning to stock up on essentials.

Photos posted to social media show long queues at all tills and the carpark full at Pak’nSave Wairau Rd on the North Shore, which only recently reopened after floods devastated the store late last month.

Aucklanders have rushed to supermarkets this morning to stock up on essentials as Gabrielle approaches. Photos posted to social media show long queues at all tills and the car park full at Pak'nSave Wairau Rd, which only recently reopened after floods devastated the store late last month. Photo / Supplied / Rose Rasmussen

Shopper Rose Rasmussen told the Herald she was lucky to get a parking spot and shoppers faced a long wait, adding that the store was “crazy busy” with queues for checkouts going right through the store.

Evacuation shelters are now being activated in Auckland, while airline passengers are urged to reconsider travelling, and the University of Auckland has shifted its exams online. Some schools plan to close and businesses are also preparing to have staff work from home.

Gabrielle’s path, impacts

Auckland, Northland and Coromandel residents can expect to feel Cyclone Gabrielle’s first effects from Sunday, with the most severe weather expected on Monday and Tuesday.

MetService has heavy rain watches in place for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay and strong wind watches in place for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, Waitomo, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne. “The duration of the event and the amount of rain forecast is highly dependent on the track of Cyclone Gabrielle, and [watches] could be upgraded to an Orange or possibly Red warning in the coming days,” it says.

Cyclone Gabrielle’s exact path is not yet known, with more detailed forecasting to be released on Sunday, MetService said. But based on current modelling, Auckland can expect to be hit hard, with the centre of the storm tracking just east of the city and Northland coast and slamming into the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne districts.

“Wind will be a significant issue. This combined with the saturated ground conditions may cause the downing of trees and powerlines, and travel routes may be impacted,” Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) said.

As much as 300mm of rain is forecast for Aotea Great Barrier Island and north Auckland and 100mm-200mm for the rest of the region.

MetService said the predicted rainfall levels were serious, with its warning criteria normally being triggered whenever 100mm of rain falls within a 24-hour period over a widespread area.

“Gabrielle is expected to bring 24-hour rain totals of 300mm or more to some areas,” the forecaster said.

MetService said on Saturday morning that the cyclone was continuing to move southeast and was now in its area of responsibility.

Auckland Emergency Management’s Rachel Kelleher called on people not to be complacent. “We still have sufficient time to prepare, and we ask that people use this time wisely and calmly,” she said.

Coming so soon after Auckland’s floods, emergency management teams have leapt into preparations and are finalising the locations of defence centres and evacuation shelters for people and pets, Kelleher said.

The locations will be available on the Auckland Emergency Management website when they are confirmed.

Kelleher asked people to check on neighbours, especially the elderly and vulnerable.

She said the impact of this weather system may be different to late January’s flooding and there may be an additional risk from storm surges.

Her team had set up a GetReady website offering tips for homeowners on how to prepare, including tying down loose property, cleaning out spouts and drains and considering moving vulnerable items above flood level and buying sandbags from hardware stores to minimise damage.

Sandbagging at the Outdoor Furniture Design Warehouse on The Strand, Parnell in Auckland. The business needed a week to clean up after the recent flooding. Photo / Alex Robertson

Kiwis were also urged to stay off the roads once the storm hits, to avoid going through floodwater and to call 111 only if a life is at risk to ensure the vital helpline is not overloaded with minor jobs.

A further concern in flood-hit Auckland and Coromandel is Gabrielle may cause new slips.

Auckland Council building consents manager Ian McCormick said people should stay out of buildings with red placards and at buildings with yellow placards people should follow the advice on the placard and out of an abundance of caution stay out during the event.

He encouraged people with concerns about their houses to move out until the end of the event.

Air New Zealand, meanwhile, has asked all domestic and international passengers to reconsider travel.

International travellers are advised they will be able to defer travel to a later date without penalties if they choose not to fly due to the threatening weather.

Domestic travellers are being offered similar flexibility for travel to/from and via Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Kerikeri, Whangārei, Rotorua, Taupō, Gisborne, Napier or New Plymouth, up to and including Friday, February 17.

Auckland Transport executive general manager Stacey van der Putten said 15 roads were currently closed across the region.

The team are also publishing an “extensive list of roads” they know are vulnerable to flooding and strong winds, she said.

Auckland Secondary Schools Principals’ Association president and Orewa College principal Greg Pierce said some schools may close on Monday and Tuesday.

His school, for instance, sat at sea level and was prone to flooding so his team would make a call on Sunday evening about whether students would stay home and study online, he said.

Lines company Vector in Auckland and power suppliers across the North Island have asked people who use medical equipment that relies on electricity to let them know immediately if they suffer a power outage.

“We would like to reassure Aucklanders that we are ready and have made preparations including moving replacement equipment, such as poles, closer to where they may be needed, cancelling some planned outages next week, and placing our crews on standby,” a Vector spokesperson said.

Countdown has also said it began stocking its North Island stores earlier this week to ensure there were enough essential supplies.

There were also reports yesterday of hardware stores staying busy with shoppers buying torches, lanterns, camping stoves and matches.

Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said he had been given an assurance that Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) teams and other organisations across the country will keep Kiwis informed with regular storm updates.

Waka Kotahi, meanwhile, will be providing road and transport updates, while local CDEMs will give local updates in each of their districts.

To keep track of national alerts, people should check the NZ Civil Defence pages.