Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle is being described as "one of the most serious storms forecast for New Zealand this century", as it appears to remain on a path to reach the country this weekend.
If that's the case, nobody will have more reason to batten down the hatches over the coming days than the Far North, which has already had a serious deluge in late January.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania spoke to Guyon Espiner.
