A tropical cyclone warning was in place for Vanuatu's Torba and Senama, with tropical cyclone Lola a category 2 storm as of Monday morning (yesterday).

In its update at 9:09am yesterday Vanuatu time, the Meteorology and GeoHazards Department issued a red alert for Torba province and a yellow alert for Penama and Sanma.

It said destructive storm force winds of 90 kilometres an hour, gusting to 130 kilometres, will affect Torba and Penama provinces in the next 24 to 48hrs.

Damaging gale force winds are also forecast.

Heavy rainfalls with flash flooding are expected over low lying areas and areas close to river banks, including coastal flooding, over the Vanuatu group on Monday and Tuesday.

Very rough seas with heavy to phenomenal swells are expected over all Vanuatu waters, and a marine strong wind warning is in place for northern and central waters.

A high seas wind warning is also for northern waters of Vanuatu. Seagoing vessels are advised to take extra precautions.

Those in Torba, Penama, Sanma, and Malampa should listen to the radio for updates, the Metservice said.

New Zealand MetService duty meteorologist Philippa Murdoch said the storm was a little ahead of the tropical cyclone season for the area.

"This one is slightly early," she said.

"The season usually starts at the beginning of November, but we've got all the right ingredients."

Murdoch said these factors included warm sea surface temperatures and quite light winds aloft, which means there was nothing to break it up.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in New Zealand expects nine to 14 cyclones this season - nine being the long-term average.

Four to eight of these are expected to be severe.

NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said El Niño had increased the risk.

"El Niño, it does tend to enhance the risk for cyclone activity near and east of the International Dateline, so for countries like Fiji, the Cook Islands, and many in between."

During El Niño 1982/83, there were 10 severe cyclones in the South Pacific.

• RNZ