Weather: Tropical cyclone 'Fili' forms near New Caledonia, posing risk to New Zealand

A tropical cyclone which has formed near New Caledonia may pose some risk to New Zealand in the coming week.

Tropical cyclone "Fili" is currently near New Caledonia and is forecast to reach Category 2 strength.

However, Weather Watch said the cyclone is in an area where it could grow to "severe" Category 3.

🚨🌀 It's hello to #TropicalCyclone #FILI. (not the best name when it looks so similar to 'Fiji').#FILI is forecast to become a Category 2 with potential to even reach Severe Cat 3.

As for #NewZealand, we need at least another 48 hours to be more confident of #Fili's track. pic.twitter.com/RZj5h5vkLj

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) April 5, 2022

Fili is set to track close to the Pacific nation in the coming days, then drift towards New Zealand by Sunday or early next week.

At this stage, it is unclear if Fili will directly impact New Zealand or remain at sea. More modelling is needed in the days ahead to confirm.

"Incoming high pressure from Australia will likely be the main guiding force for this storm - and another two or three days is needed by NZ forecasters to better lock in the track."

MetService has issued a number of heavy rain watches and warnings for the lower North Island and western South Island.

Fiordland and Westland are set to be hit with heavy rain this afternoon which may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly.

Drier than normal March

Meanwhile, March was a drier than normal and warmer than average month, particularly for the South Island.

Eighteen areas across the country recorded their highest ever temperatures for March last month.

The nationwide average temperature in March was 16.9C, which was 1.3C above 1981-2010 February average from Niwa's seven-station temperature series which begins in 1909. It was also the country's equal eighth-warmest March on record.

March was a very warm month for most of the country. Photo / Niwa

The highest temperature was recorded in the Waikato town of Whatawhata, which reached 30.6C twice.

Manapouri Airport in Southland recorded the lowest temperature of the month, dropping to 0.9C.

Temperatures out on the water were higher than average during March, with marine heatwave conditions present in all regions except for the eastern North Island at the end of the month.

Despite warm and dry temperatures, some regions recorded over a month's worth of rain in less than a day or two.

On March 22, Tolaga Bay recorded the highest rainfall in one day with 167mm. New hourly rainfall records were also established in Whangārei and Auckland's North Shore and Māngere.

Overall, March was a dry month in the South Island with 29 locations reporting record or near-record low rainfall.