Tropical Cyclone Vaianu formed on 3 April 2026 from a tropical disturbance west-southwest of Tuvalu during the 2025–26 South Pacific cyclone season. It strengthened into a named tropical cyclone by 5 April and rapidly intensified to Category 3 severe status by 7 April, reaching peak winds near 185 km/h and a central pressure of 954 hPa. While tracking near Fiji on 7–8 April, the storm delivered heavy rainfall exceeding 140 mm in places such as Nadi and Monasavu, triggering widespread flooding in low-lying areas, strong winds, and marine hazards that prompted flash-flood and gale warnings across the islands

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As Vaianu continued southeast over cooler waters, it transitioned to a subtropical system on 9 April and later an hybrid extratropical cyclone. Despite gradual weakening, it retained enough organisation to threaten New Zealand. MetService issued life-threatening weather warnings for the North Island, forecasting damaging winds, heavy rain, and hazardous coastal conditions. The cyclone made landfall on 12 April near the Tauaranga in the Bay of Plenty, crossing the North Island as a subtropical storm with gusts up to 130–150 km/h, torrential rainfall (locally over 100 mm in 24 hours and peaks of 280 mm in 12 hours in the Coromandel ranges), and waves exceeding 6 m.

 

In New Zealand, Cyclone Vaianu caused widespread disruption across the North Island, including flooding, slips, fallen trees, and road closures, particularly in the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Whakatāne, and Northland regions. Hundreds of residents were evacuated (including mandatory orders for 270 properties in Whakatāne District), over 14,000 homes lost power at peak (with thousands still affected into 13 April), and Air New Zealand cancelled dozens of flights. States of emergency were declared in multiple districts, though the storm veered slightly east of the worst-case track, limiting overall destruction. Total damage across Fiji and New Zealand was estimated at $1.5 million USD; cleanup began quickly, with most emergencies lifted by 13 April as the system dissipated after exiting the country.