Cyclone Evan has only about 24 hours left classed as a “tropical cyclone” as he continues his direct trip towards New Zealand after killing people in Samoa and causing widespread damage in Fiji.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says it was incredible Evan didn’t take any lives in Fiji.  “As of 1:45pm we still hadn’t heard of any deaths in Fiji due to Cyclone Evan.  What an incredible Christmas miracle as this storm was right up there as one of the most intense”.

Evan is now weakening as he runs into higher air pressure and cooler sea temperatures.

While Evan was always predicted to lose his cyclone status before reaching New Zealand it does look as though he is weakening faster than first thought.

However that doesn’t mean New Zealand is now in the clear.  WeatherWatch.co.nz still believes the tropical storm will pack a punch and has the potential to deliver torrential rain, especially in the north east of the North Island.

“We think Evan will arrive this weekend bringing cloud, wind and then rain or showers to some northern areas, with perhaps the most rain arriving sometime on Sunday or Christmas Eve”.

See our Christmas forecast on our homepage at www.WeatherWatch.co.nz

– Latest threat map / Fiji Met

– WeatherWatch.co.nz