October 10-16 is Get Ready Week.
It used to be called Disaster Awareness Week, but it's important to not just be aware of diasters, you actually have to do something about preparing for them! Get Ready to help you Get Thru.
The Wellington region's theme for this year's Get Ready Week is tsunami - it was timely after the Chilean tsunami, and the national Exercise Tangaroa next week on October 20th is also based on a distant-source tsunami - these were all planned out well before the quake in Canterbury - I guess earthquake will be the theme again next year?
If you get the Kapi-Mana News in Porirua & Tawa, you'll receive a copy of "It's Easy - Know your tsunami zone" (or you can download the 737kb pdf by clicking on the link) in with the paper today.
Have a look at where you live, work, play & holiday in the region. If you'd like more detail, contact the city council for the area you are interested in. Porirua's tsunami evacuation zone maps can be found here - http://www.pcc.govt.nz/A-Z-Services/Emergency-Management/Tsunami-Evacuation-Zones
There will be ads on the TV & radio during the week, keep your eyes & ears peeled for them.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Northerly then southerly gales
Time to be blown this way, then that. Here's the latest from the MetService:
Severe Weather Warning - Northerly gales tonight
Northerly gales are forecast from this evening through to dawn on Saturday. The strongest winds are expected between about 10pm Friday and 4am Saturday, when severe gale gusts of 120 km/h are likely in exposed places.
Winds of this strength have the potential to damage trees, powerlines and insecure structures and make driving hazardous, especially for high sided vehicles and motorcycles.
Special Weather Advisory - Cold southerly gales for Sunday & Monday
Strong, cold south to southwest winds are also expected from Sunday afternoon to Monday evening. These cold winds are expected to reach gale force for a time near the coast and especially about Banks Peninsula, coastal Marlborough, Wellington and coastal Wairarapa. Snowfall amounts in these areas are expected to be modest, but could affect higher roads above 300 metres in Canterbury and eastern Marlborough and above 500 metres over central and southern parts of the North Island. This includes the Rimutaka Hill road and many of the roads leading through the Central Plateau.
So if you are planning on driving over to the Wairarapa on Sunday, or up the centre of the North Island, you should be packing some extra gear, just in case you get stuck, like folks did this time last year on the Napier/Taupo Rd - http://poriruaemo.blogspot.com/2009/10/one-month-into-spring.html
Severe Weather Warning - Northerly gales tonight
Northerly gales are forecast from this evening through to dawn on Saturday. The strongest winds are expected between about 10pm Friday and 4am Saturday, when severe gale gusts of 120 km/h are likely in exposed places.
Winds of this strength have the potential to damage trees, powerlines and insecure structures and make driving hazardous, especially for high sided vehicles and motorcycles.
Special Weather Advisory - Cold southerly gales for Sunday & Monday
Strong, cold south to southwest winds are also expected from Sunday afternoon to Monday evening. These cold winds are expected to reach gale force for a time near the coast and especially about Banks Peninsula, coastal Marlborough, Wellington and coastal Wairarapa. Snowfall amounts in these areas are expected to be modest, but could affect higher roads above 300 metres in Canterbury and eastern Marlborough and above 500 metres over central and southern parts of the North Island. This includes the Rimutaka Hill road and many of the roads leading through the Central Plateau.
So if you are planning on driving over to the Wairarapa on Sunday, or up the centre of the North Island, you should be packing some extra gear, just in case you get stuck, like folks did this time last year on the Napier/Taupo Rd - http://poriruaemo.blogspot.com/2009/10/one-month-into-spring.html
Friday, October 1, 2010
Award-winning guide to preparing for an emergency
I have to say that our public education group in the Wellington Region is awesome!
“This group identified a need for a handy, easy to read and understand guide for emergency preparedness and then produced it. They’ve done a tremendous job.
“Natural disasters can strike without warning anywhere at any time. The need for emergency preparation has been spectacularly highlighted recently by the Canterbury earthquake and also by floods in various parts of the country. It’s clear that the more preparation people make for an emergency, the more likely they are to get through it and that’s where the ‘It’s Easy’ booklet can help,” Rian Van Schalkwyk says.
Copies of the award-winning “It’s Easy” booklet are available from Council offices throughout the greater Wellington region and online at http://www.getprepared.co.nz/.
Here's a media release about some of our work.
Emergency preparedness document wins international award
A guide outlining easy step-by-step instructions for how to prepare for an emergency, published by the Wellington Region Emergency Management Group, has won the International Association of Emergency Managers 2010 Global Public Awareness Award.
A guide outlining easy step-by-step instructions for how to prepare for an emergency, published by the Wellington Region Emergency Management Group, has won the International Association of Emergency Managers 2010 Global Public Awareness Award.
The “It’s Easy” booklet was published in June 2010. The initial print run of 37,000 copies has been nearly exhausted.
“We’ve received positive feedback from householders and our local Emergency Management offices about the ‘It’s Easy’ booklet. But we’re really rapt and proud to get international recognition from an organisation with the standing that the International Association of Emergency Managers has,” Wellington Region Emergency Management Group Controller Rian van Schalkwyk says.
“Production of the booklet was a real team effort from the greater Wellington region Civil Defence Emergency Management public education group.
“This group identified a need for a handy, easy to read and understand guide for emergency preparedness and then produced it. They’ve done a tremendous job.
“Natural disasters can strike without warning anywhere at any time. The need for emergency preparation has been spectacularly highlighted recently by the Canterbury earthquake and also by floods in various parts of the country. It’s clear that the more preparation people make for an emergency, the more likely they are to get through it and that’s where the ‘It’s Easy’ booklet can help,” Rian Van Schalkwyk says.
Copies of the award-winning “It’s Easy” booklet are available from Council offices throughout the greater Wellington region and online at http://www.getprepared.co.nz/.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Weather woes
Well, this weather has certainly been causing problems around the place - http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4182312/Nelson-Wellington-soaked-as-rain-sweeps-country
Sewage overflows, surface flooding, slips & road closures, and unfortunate incidents like the train collision north of Plimmerton - http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4184297/Trains-collide-near-Porirua.
Some very quick thinking on the part of the staff on the trains probably prevented serious injury. The drivers were very lucky to escape with their lives.
The rain is expected to ease after midnight, thankfully.
EDIT: More on the train collision - http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4186110/Landslide-causes-derailment-collision
And more on the weather-related incidents - http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4186094/Weather-keeps-emergency-services-busy
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wind & rain
You'll never guess... More wind & rain!
The friendly folks at the MetService have issued yet another Severe Weather Warning, this time for heavy rain in the Tararuas and Wellington area.
Rain is expected to become persistent and heavier on Thursday morning. In the 15 to 18 hours from about 9am Thursday expect 150-200mm on upper slopes and 70 to 100mm lower down including about the hills on the Kapiti Coast and about the Hutt Valley.
There's also a Severe Weather Watch out for a spell of north to northwest gales with gusts around 100 km/h likely in Wellington, and southern Wairarapa from mid/late morning on Thursday until evening.
The friendly folks at the MetService have issued yet another Severe Weather Warning, this time for heavy rain in the Tararuas and Wellington area.
Rain is expected to become persistent and heavier on Thursday morning. In the 15 to 18 hours from about 9am Thursday expect 150-200mm on upper slopes and 70 to 100mm lower down including about the hills on the Kapiti Coast and about the Hutt Valley.
There's also a Severe Weather Watch out for a spell of north to northwest gales with gusts around 100 km/h likely in Wellington, and southern Wairarapa from mid/late morning on Thursday until evening.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Deja vu
If you read yesterday's post and change the day to Friday, and the times to midday to midnight, you'll get the idea of tomorrow's weather warning.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Yet more wind...
Just in case you hadn't had enough already, the MetService has issued a Severe Weather Warning for more severe northesterly gales for us, gusting to 120km/hr in exposed places - from 8pm tonight to 3am tomorrow morning.
Mind you, looking out the window over the past two days, I'm rather enjoying this "storm the size of Australia" - it's gorgeous out there today! I do feel sorry for those who aren't in Porirua, however.
Mind you, looking out the window over the past two days, I'm rather enjoying this "storm the size of Australia" - it's gorgeous out there today! I do feel sorry for those who aren't in Porirua, however.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Windy afternoon
Thankfully we appear to have been spared the worst of what was forecast for us over the weekend, though I had two trees come down at my place on Friday night. Looking at some of the picture here - http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4144373/Southland-hardest-hit-by-intense-storm, you would hardly believe we're almost 3 weeks into Spring!
The MetService is forcasting more wind for us today - severe northwest gales with gusts up to 120km/h in exposed places this afternoon. Winds that strong can damage powerlines and trees, and make driving conditions dangerous, so take care out there!
The MetService is forcasting more wind for us today - severe northwest gales with gusts up to 120km/h in exposed places this afternoon. Winds that strong can damage powerlines and trees, and make driving conditions dangerous, so take care out there!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
The latest in from our friends at the MetService
Two fronts are expected to cross the North Island today. The first lies at mid morning from Waitomo to the northwest, and is expected to clear the East Cape area this evening. A second front lying over the upper South Island is expected to intensify this afternoon and may organise into a squall line as it crosses the upper North Island late afternoon/early evening to lie east of East Cape by late evening.
There is a high risk of quite squally thunderstorms on both of these features as they cross the west and north of the North Island.
Over the Kapiti Coast to Taranaki, and from Waitomo/Waikato north, and also over northern Coromandel Peninsula, central and eastern Bay of Plenty and far northern Gisborne, some of these thunderstorms may be SEVERE due to thepotential for damaging wind gusts to 130km/hr or so. There is also a risk of a tornado.
Wind gusts of this strength can cause some structural damage, including trees and power lines, and may make driving hazardous. If any tornados occur, they will only affect very localised areas.
Should severe weather approach or if you feel threatened, take shelter immediately.
Issued by: Paul Mallinson
This watch will be updated by: 02:30 pm Friday 17 September 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Severe gales & significant wave heights around Porirua shores
Residents living in coastal areas of Porirua should be aware that there is a large storm affecting the seas of the western coast (not the interior harbour). Wave heights this weekend may reach between 6 and 8 metres at sea, with significant if not similar wave heights on land around Pukerua Bay and Centennial Highway.
High tide times can be found in the table below.
If you are concerned, or think that you may be in danger, you should ring 111 and ask for Police, who will coordinate the first response.
Northwesterly winds are expected to rise to gale overnight Thursday with severe gale gusts for a time during Friday. In the period 12 hour period from 6am to 6pm Friday, northwesterly gusts of 120 km/h are likely in exposed places.
Winds of this strength have the potential to lift roofs, topple trees and powerlines and make driving conditions hazardous.
High tide times can be found in the table below.
| High | Low | High | Low | High | |
| Thursday 16 Sept | 03:24 1.3m | 09:22 0.6m | 16:01 0.7m | 22:13 0.7m | |
| Friday 17 Sept | 04:39 1.3m | 10:37 0.7m | 17:23 1.3m | 23:30 0.7m | |
| Saturday 18 Sept | 05:36 1.3m | 11:53 0.7m | |||
| Sunday 19 Sept | 00:34 0.6m | 07:00 1.3m | 12:54 0.6m | 19:24 1.4m |
If you are concerned, or think that you may be in danger, you should ring 111 and ask for Police, who will coordinate the first response.
Northwesterly winds are expected to rise to gale overnight Thursday with severe gale gusts for a time during Friday. In the period 12 hour period from 6am to 6pm Friday, northwesterly gusts of 120 km/h are likely in exposed places.
Winds of this strength have the potential to lift roofs, topple trees and powerlines and make driving conditions hazardous.
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