Rain!

Looks like our weather has returned to normal - precipitation now falls at high speed and almost horizontally, just the way it's supposed to. None of this floaty white stuff wafting out of the sky.


Mind you this rain stuff isn't nearly as entertaining - you can't sculpt things out of it, and it doesn't create such wonderful photo opportunities. All of the cold and none of the fun!

Snow closes roads in Porirua

Tuesday 16 August - 8.50am

Snowfall is still affecting parts of Porirua City. Paekakariki Hill Road and Moonshine Road are closed until further notice. Spicer Landfill is also closed as Broken Hill Road is too dangerous to travel. All hillside roads in the city are icy so extreme care is needed when driving in these areas.
See the Emergency Status page for more info, or sign up to our text alert system for the latest information.

Advice for driving in snow

A Canadian friend of mine, currently living in Christchurch, would like to pass on the following advice. I'm pretty sure that most of the population of Porirua has little or no experience with driving on snow, what with it never snowing here... so it's very timely.

As usual, if there's snow on the roads, it's really best to stay home. You might get the hang of driving on snow, but the other person coming towards the intersection might be completely useless. I'd prefer to stay out of their way entirely - though you hear the occasional story of someone ploughing through someone's front fence as they completely lose control.

1. If you're new at this, start very slowly and get a feel for how the car copes.
   
2. Slow down! Don't try to drive at anything like the speed limit. If you're skidding or fishtailing, you're going too fast.
   
3. Assume your braking distance will be double what you're used to and brake gently.
   
4. always apply the accellerator gently so that you don't lose traction.
   
5. Increase your following distance. (one of my other friends commented that the 22 second rule would be appropriate - sounds nice and safe!)

Roads closed

Paekakariki Hill Road is now closed due to the heavy snow. There have been numerous accidents already.

Rimutaka Hill Road is also closed until further notice, but that was no big surprise.

Snow! Everywhere!

In case you hadn't noticed, it's snowing! It's snowing right down to sea level too, so all our roads are covered in the stuff, which can make driving pretty hazardous. The best recommendation I can make for today is STAY HOME!

You don't need to go out driving today, you've got plenty of food in the cupboard, because you're all prepared for days like this - not that we ever expected snow like this in Porirua... but this is exactly the kind of unexpected event that you should prepare for!

Stay home, stay warm. You should also be prepared for power cuts, as heavy snow like this damages power lines - I've already had one power cut here.

If you absolutely have to drive somewhere, take it very slowly, and carefully. You're not going to get anything like normal traction or control.

Rug up this weekend - Cold snap on the way!

The MetService has issued a Special Weather Advisory for much of the country.

Another exceptionally cold outbreak, like the one on late July (or worse) is on the way. It's expected to reach the lower North Island on Sunday night. There'll be bitterly cold south to southwest gales, and probably snow too. Monday won't be much better either.

It's pretty likely that the Rimutaka Hill Road will be closed, so I wouldn't book any meetings over the hill for Monday, and if you are planning any long journeys, you might want to chuck some water and food, and a sleeping bag into the car, just in case you get stuck.

You may want to take pity on the pets and not kick them out of the house that night, and if you're in our rural areas, you'll want to make sure that any new-born livestock are well looked after.

So rug up folks, and take care of yourselves this weekend!

Oil spill on Paekakariki Hill Rd

Advisory from Police for motorists to be aware of oil spill 3-4kms south of the lookout on Paekakariki Hill Road.