Almost 20 wind and rain warnings have been issued this afternoon across the country by the government owned forecaster.

MetService has warnings now in place for several North and South Island region as ex-tropical cyclone Vania and current tropical cyclone Zelia head towards us.

“A low is forecast to move over the northern South Island on Tuesday evening. Another low, currently Tropical Cyclone Zelia, south of New Caledonia at 11am Monday is accelerating” says MetService severe forecaster Paul Mallinson.

“This second low will probably pass west of Northland and Auckland tomorrow afternoon and move over the southern or central North Island on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning”.

“This low could be close enough for a brief spell of severe northerly gales gusting about 130 km/h in exposed areas of Northland, about the Hauraki Gulf and higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula in the afternoon or early evening on Tuesday. It will probably move over the southern or central North Island on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning and may bring north or northwest wind gusts around 120 km/h at times about the higher ground in Taupo, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington (possibly the Marlborough Sounds and parts of Nelson) on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning” says Mr Mallinson.

The Fiji Meteorological Service – currently in charge of forecasting Zelia’s path – predict the storm will maintain a category 1 status when it nears the upper North Island on Tuesday afternoon and evening even though the storm will technically no longer be a “tropical” storm.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says if the storm remains a couple hundred kilometres offshore then so too will the gales.  “It will be very close” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.  “It’s time for campers, trampers and boaties in particular to be aware of the severe conditions moving in”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz advises campers around the country to stay up to date with the latest warnings and current weather news and be prepared to safely leave their location at any given time should it be affected by flood waters or severe gales.

MetService says there is also a risk of small tornadoes over much of the western North Island and upper north west South Island tomorrow afternoon during isolated thunderstorms.  The thunderstorm outlook covers Auckland as well, but they rate the chances of thunderstorms as “low” as of 2pm Monday.

See a full list of warnings here