Severe weather on the way, Northland.
MetService along with Civil Defence have been keeping tabs on the timing and movement of Cyclone Gabrielle.
What you need to know:
- A rain watch will be in place from 1am Sunday, 12 February to noon Tuesday, 14 February and a strong wind watch from noon Sunday to midnight Tuesday.
- 200mm to 300mm of rain is predicted to fall over the course of the storm along with severe gales. These are likely to be upgraded.
- Streams and rivers may rise rapidly, and surface flooding, slips and flood water are likely to close roads.
- The high forecast winds may cause falling trees which can cause power outages and further hazards on the road.
Civil Defence is again asking Northlanders to ensure they are prepared. They are reminding residents to:
- Secure outdoor furniture and structures
- Relocate items from any areas of your property that are prone to flooding
- Anchor recreational vessels in a sheltered place at a secure berth and be prepared to run engines/motor against the wind.
- Relocate stock from flood-prone areas and bring pets inside
- Have supplies including food and medications ready in case of any power outages or if you are isolated for a period. Have a grab bag and a plan in case you need to evacuate.
These updates can also be viewed on the Civil Defence section of the Northland Regional Council website: www.nrc.govt.nz...
For more tips on preparing for severe weather check out the Get Ready website.
If you feel you, your family and/or your property are at risk, immediately contact emergency services on 111.
Some Uselink links include:
Civil Defence
Waka Kotahi NZTA Northland for national road closures or for local roads, check out these pages:
Whangarei District Council
Kaipara District Council
Far North District Council
For power outages check:
Northpower
Top Energy NZ
Look after each other, neighbours.
⚠️ 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 ❤️
Would you like a free copy of our February 2025 issue?
Kia ora neighbours. We give away free copies to readers whose recipes are used in our magazine. We're still on the hunt for tomato recipes, so send your family's favourite way to use up your homegrown harvest, to: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. If we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of the mag