Severe weather in Northland
A severe weather watch is in place today as thunderstorms are expected this morning and afternoon (Tuesday 9th May). Some of these thunderstorms may become SEVERE, producing localised torrential rain in excess of 40 mm/h and a slight chance of a damaging tornado. If any tornadoes occur, they will only affect very localised areas.
Here's what you need to know:
- Watch out for surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys - these could lead to slips.
- Due to surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain, driving may be hazardous.
- Expect thunderstorm activity to ease by Tuesday evening.
For information on preparing for and keeping safe during a storm, see the Civil Defence Get Ready website
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!
⚠️ 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 ❤️
Holiday water update 💧
Our dam levels are fine but it sure is dry out there. Please use water sensibly this summer.
Whau Valley Dam is at around 90% of its full capacity, and Wilsons Dam is at 99%. However rainfall has been low recently, so river levels are low and the District is "running on batteries" by taking water from these dams.
So it's time to shake off any heavy-use habits from the winter when rain water was abundant. Turn off taps when you're not using them (especially hoses), get leaks fixed promptly, and don't over-water gardens or lawns.
If you're leaving your house for more than a few days, turn off the valve by your water-metre. That's not only to cut down on slow leaks, but some insurance policies do not cover water damage in vacant houses unless the water has been turned off at the valve!
We've got more water saving tips at this link:
www.wdc.govt.nz...