The Fiji Met Service says Category four Winston has turned back towards Tonga after passing through the northern islands earlier this week.
On its current path the storm is moving away from Niue and back between Vava'u and Nuiatoputapu, with Fiji expecting to feel its brunt again in the weekend.
The storm's average wind speed is up to 165 kilometres an hour and gusting to 230.
Met director Ravind Kumar says Winston will be closest to Vava'u tonight and could possibly be a category five storm by then.
