Tropical Cyclone Bune remains a strong category 2 cyclone as it clearly moves over New Zealand waters north east of East Cape today.

The cyclone now has winds averaging 111km/h, 9km/h shy of being a category 3 storm.

Bune is now approaching Raoul Island and will cross directly over, or very near, the island later today. 

Air pressure is 975hPa and the storm is now very slowly weakening as it heads south.

WeatherWatch.co.nz forecasters still have low confidence of severe weather reaching New Zealand and say that the cyclone may just be far enough to the east to even avoid bringing severe weather to East Cape and Gisborne – the regions closest to Bune.

However it will be very close and WeatherWatch.co.nz advises those in eastern regions to simply stay up to date with forecasts.

Meanwhile high confidence remains for dangerous rips and surf starting today and lasting as late as Saturday along the North Island’s entire eastern coastline, but in particular East Cape to Wairarapa.

Latest tracknig by the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre

Bune towers over the upper North Island / JTWC

Google Earth

– WeatherWatch.co.nz