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• Ex-tropical Cyclone Tam will bring heavy rain, strong winds and 6m swells to the North Island today. 
• MetService warns of 140km/h winds in Northland, 120km/h in Auckland, and the risk of power outages and flooding. 
• More than 3500 homes in Northland lost power yesterday; warnings ramp up for several regions. 

The worst of ex-tropical Cyclone Tam will lash the North Island today with heavier rain, stronger winds and “significant warnings”.

Fire and Emergency said it had more than 50 callouts overnight, 24 in Auckland and 33 in Northland, mostly relating to trees toppling in the severe wind gusts.

Motorists are being warned of potential road closures, and gale-force winds could halt rush-hour traffic this morning on the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER THE LIVEBLOG 

ARTICLE CONTINUES  

Thousands in Northland have been plunged into darkness this morning after a sweep of power outages overnight. 

Residents from Whananaki on the east coast to Dargaville on the west and south to Tinopai have awoken to no power according to Northpower. It comes after 3500 homes lost power yesterday. 

Sweeping power outages are affecting Northland residents this morning. Photo / Northpower 

MetService meteorologist John Law told the Herald Northland and the east coast of Auckland are in for another battering today with the potential for 140km/h winds in exposed places. 

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen such substantially strong winds, so people need to take extra care.” 

• More than 900 without power, 100km/h winds as Cyclone Tam approaches
• 'Prepare now': Cyclone Tam brings 130km/h gust, winds forecast to ramp up overnight

Strong winds and large swells were an attraction to some at Ōrewa Beach yesterday. Photo / Sylvie Whinray 

Law said the “Coromandel in particular is in for a wet one”, and is at significant risk of surface flooding. 

Maritime NZ said the winds forecast for the top half of the North Island today were set to be “the strongest since 2017”. 

Ex-Cyclone Tam is set to lash the North Island with heavy rain and strong winds expected to worsen. Photo / Annette Mckinder 

‘Very significant’ weather warnings 

“Very significant” watches and warnings will be in place for much of today, Law said. 

A number of regions will wake up to an orange heavy rain warning, including Northland and Coromandel Peninsula. 

Later in the day, parts of Gisborne, Bay of Plenty west of Kawerau, including Rotorua and the Kaimāī Ranges will be under orange heavy rain warnings. 

Easterly and northeasterly winds are forecast to reach unusually high speeds in Northland and Auckland, increasing the risk of damage to trees, structures and powerlines. 

Cyclone Tam was officially reclassified yersterday afternoon as it moved south over cooler waters, changing the mechanisms driving the system. 

While Tam is no longer a tropical cyclone, it remains a powerful and potentially damaging system with rainfall and strong winds expected over a wide area of the country in the days ahead. 

MetService is continuing to use the term “Cyclone Tam” because of the potential impacts of the storm. 

Forecasters don’t want people to get the impression the weather system is not serious or has already passed over the country. 

Thunderstorms are possible today in Northland and northern Auckland. 

Northeasterly gale winds are set to generate large waves on the Northland coast into this morning. 

Swells of 5 to 6m are tipped to pound the coastline, with the biggest risk around high tide. 

“Thursday’s looking quite messy, with really strong winds – gale-force through to midnight on Friday morning,” Auckland Emergency Management general manager Adam Maggs said in a video posted on social media. 

Maggs urged motorists to take care, including checking the weather at their destinations “just to make sure you can be safe on the roads”.