Australia’s weather bureau today upgraded the tropical cyclone to a Category 3 storm that can generate winds of 118kph to 159kph and gusts of up to 224kph.

“It is looking like making a direct hit at Norfolk Island,” Australian bureau of meteorology forecaster Jonathan Howe told ABC television.

“We might see the centre of the tropical cyclone pass directly over Norfolk Island.”

Norfolk Island, an Australian territory 1,500km east of Sydney, covers just over 34sq km in the Pacific Ocean, between New Caledonia and New Zealand.

The island’s roughly 2,200 residents, many descended from British sailors who mutinied on the HMS Bounty in the 18th century, have begun to fuel up emergency power generators and tie down loose outdoor equipment and objects, George Plant, the island’s emergency management controller, told ABC.

“This is probably the worst one we’ve seen for a long time,” he said.

Australia’s mainland will not be significantly impacted though some eastern coastal areas may experience large waves and strong winds.

In New Zealand, upper North Island regions including Auckland are preparing for further bad weather, two weeks after the country’s largest city was hammered by historic levels of rain that killed four people and caused widespread flooding.

“The ground will be sodden and very wet which will contribute to the likelihood of trees falling from that heavy rain, and the combination of strong winds,” New Zealand MetService forecaster David Miller told Radio NZ.

Authorities urged residents to prepare bags with essential supplies, food and water to last three days and warned power cuts could affect automated cash machines.

Gabrielle is likely to impact New Zealand’s North Island from Sunday through to Tuesday.