Metservice issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Taupo and Rotorua
UPDATE
3.48pm
Metservice has extended this warning to include the South Waikato and Whakatane districts.
Today
3.32pm
Metservice is advising people to expect torrential rain and frequent lightning strikes as thunderstorms move towards the Taupo and lower Waikato regions.
The storm is expected to move eastsoutheast towards Taupo, Wairakei and Lake Taupo at 3.15pm and affect Rangitaiki and Iwitahi at 3.45pm.
What you need to know:
- Torrential rain is forecast, with a possibility of flash flooding about streams, gullies and in urban areas.
- The National Emergency Management Agency advises to seek shelter, away from windows and stay out of marine areas.
- Move cars under cover, away from trees.
- Make sure you have a plan in the event that an power outage occurs.
Keep up to date with the latest on Metservice's Thunderstorm watch website.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!