Residents on Coromandel's east coast are hunkering down as strong winds and heavy rain lash the region.
An orange, heavy rain, warning is in force until 3 o'clock Monday afternoon, as well as a wind warning until 11 Monday morning.
The Thames-Coromandel district council is warning that could lead to a damaging coastal storm surge at the peak king tide at 8 o'clock Monday morning.
Lots of schools are closed including Mercury Bay school, Coroglen school, Te Rerenga school, Whenuakite school, Opoutere school and Tairua sachool.
The area's civil defence controller Garry Towler spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
