Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle intensifies on path to Norfolk Island and New Zealand

The system is predicted to intensify to category three on Friday morning, picking up speed and strength with winds of between 165km/h and 224km/h, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

Norfolk residents are bracing for gusts of up to 140km/h, heavy rain and abnormally high tides and large waves.

The storm is expected to continue to track south-east out of the tropics at the weekend, and is predicted to reach New Zealand between Sunday and Tuesday.

Heavy rain and gales are also expected to lash the upper South Island.

The cyclonic threats come less than two weeks after Auckland was hit by historic levels of rain, which killed four people and caused widespread flooding and landslides.