Cyclone Pola has strengthened over open waters and has reached Category 4, on a scale up to 5, but is about to be torn apart by a huge high moving over New Zealand.

Pola is much more powerful than Oma was this time a week ago and, exactly like last week, high pressure is going tear the cyclone apart and guide it back away from NZ. Pola will be as close to NZ as it will get over the next 24 hours and is currently 1400kms north east of Auckland, 500kms closer than it was yesterday morning.

Despite Pola’s power this morning, there is already evidence the new high is tearing the low apart.

Pola may briefly bring bigger waves, rips and currents to beaches in the north and north eastern North Island over the next day or two but will be well offshore.

Incredibly, Pola’s journey has seen it miss a direct hit with the numerous islands in the South Pacific, carving a path at sea away from most people. Pola will lose its cyclone status in the next day or so at sea north east of NZ and will be gone by Monday.

– Top image / JTWC tracking (US Govt)
– Second image / Fiji Met Service

– WeatherWatch.co.nz