One Bay local is so worried about flooding he has sandbags and water pumps ready to deal with any potential deluge as Tropical Cyclone Lusi is expected to bear down on Tauranga.
Cyclone Lusi, which has intensified to a category 3 cyclone, is expected to track west of the North Island tomorrow, before crossing the South Island on Sunday. A severe weather watch is in place for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Gisborne, Taumaranui, Taupo and Taihape.
MetService forecaster Rochelle Fleming said it was too early to say whether the cyclone would hit Tauranga and the Western Bay region.
"But we're pretty confident there will be bursts of heavy rain and in some areas there could be more than 100mm within 24 hours, and wind gusts of up to 120 km/h," she said.
Commons Ave residents Lance Hawkins and his wife Elly were among those worst hit by severe flooding in April last year when water poured through the bottom floor of their home.