February 13: Authorities issued heavy rain and wind warnings, and hundreds of flights were cancelled.
Some areas have declared a state of emergency, as Gabrielle approaches the North Island.
It comes weeks after Auckland and surrounding areas were hit by record rainfall that triggered flooding and killed four people.
Emergency management minister Kieran McAnulty told a news conference on Monday that the government is considering declaring a national state of emergency for the third time in the country’s history.
A state of emergency has already been declared in five northern regions, including Auckland. The declaration gives local authorities greater power to respond to dangerous situations and allows them to restrict travel and provide aid.
Metservice weather agency said Whangarei, a city north of Auckland, had received 4 inches (100.5 mm) of rain in the past 12 hours.
McAnulty added that Monday would be a “critical day” due to the “highly dangerous” combination of high winds and heavy rain. Winds of up to 140 km/h (87 mph) battered the Northland region, while the Auckland Harbor Bridge was buffeted by 110 km/h gusts.
He warned it could take days to restore the power grid as bad weather made working on the grid “unsafe.”
Although the cyclone has yet to make landfall, it has already downed trees, damaged roads and downed power lines.
Many schools and local government facilities in Auckland and the North Island have closed and people are being asked not to travel if possible.
Meanwhile, some 10,000 Air New Zealand international customers were affected by the cancellation of 509 flights. Normal services are expected to resume on Tuesday, with the national carrier adding an additional 11 domestic flights to its schedule to help with recovery efforts.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has reportedly been stuck in Auckland amid flight cancellations, leading to the online Cabinet meeting.
Previously, Hipkins asked people to take severe weather warnings seriously and make sure they are prepared.
The cyclone is the second major weather event to hit Auckland and the North Island in just a few weeks.
Officials said the two major events have strained the emergency response and recovery system.
