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.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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