Cyclone Tam brings wild weather and power outages to New Zealand's North Island

Cyclone Tam, which is now classified as an Ex-Tropical Cyclone, has continued to strike New Zealand’s North Island with strong winds and heavy rainfall, resulting in widespread power outages. The storm was formed near New Caledonia earlier in the week and is causing disruptions from Northland to Auckland, and it is expected to move further south by the end of the week.

On April 16, a yacht reportedly sank at the coast of Northland, and wind speeds reached up to 130km/h at Cape Reinga. Auckland’s Harbour Bridge saw multiple lane closures due to gusts during the afternoon and evening.

MetService, in its precautionary measure, has decided to continue referring to the weather system as Cyclone Tam, despite its technical downgrade. This is being done to emphasize and spread the seriousness of the situation.


Northland has been hit hardest so far, with residents warned to expect continued strong winds, high swells, and the potential for thunderstorms. “Some locally intense bursts of rainfall” are also likely, MetService meteorologist Georgina Law said. The rain radar has already shown heavy rainfall over Whangārei, with the system now moving steadily toward Auckland.

On Wednesday, over 7000 houses were without electricity in Northland, while power provider Vector confirmed disruptions across parts of Auckland. Northpower’s outage map showed that 326 more people lost power near Whangārei, though restoration to 95 homes was expected by 10 p.m.

Authorities have urged residents, particularly those reliant on powered medical equipment, to prepare for further outages.

The impact of Cyclone Tam is not expected to stop soon. By Friday, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and the northern South Island are expected to experience the storm's effects. An updated set of weather warnings and watches is anticipated at 9 p.m. on April 16th.

Residents are being reminded to stay alert, follow official updates, and prioritize safety in the face of a storm.