Splash pools are in short supply in some stores. Photo / 123rf
Splash pools are in short supply in some stores. Photo / 123rf
Fans, gazebos and paddling pools are in hot demand as the sweltering days continue around the country.
Aucklanders are enjoying another stunning day, with a temperature high of 27C and a warm overnight low of 19C.
New Zealanders from Northland to Kāpiti - including the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and the central high country – are also experiencing fine and hot conditions.
The warm weather is driving Kiwis to shop for summer supplies – but many will find they have missed the boat on fans, pools and chilly bins.
The Warehouse Newmarket said they had sold out of standing fans, gazebos and some splash pools two weeks before Christmas.
Chilly bins were also in hot demand, with a Newmarket employee saying there were 30 sold in three days during the silly season – and now there are none left. The Warehouse Atrium said they had also sold out of large fans prior to Christmas.
Standing fans are in high demand as hot days continue. Photo / 123rf
When temperatures rise, as they have markedly since the weekend, we shed heat through the evaporation of sweat from our skin, which should occur smoothly when there's little moisture in the air.
Sweating depletes fluid that could have been used elsewhere in the body, which leaves us feeling sapped of strength and energy, which is why it's important to stay cool – and hydrated.
This isn't a problem when we have had time to adapt to the warmth, but sudden spikes in temperature can have wide-ranging effects on our body's normal biological cycle, or biorhythm, with implications for our mental, physical and emotional state.
When biorhythms are disturbed by higher body temperatures it can affect sleep quality and stress levels, impacting our decision making and reaction times, and sometimes making us more irritable.
Risk factors such as age, obesity, heart disease or poor circulation can make some people more vulnerable to these changes.
Meanwhile animal advocates remind New Zealanders to also look out for their pets' welfare on particularly hot days.
The SPCA says it takes only minutes for a pet left in a vehicle on a warm day to succumb to heatstroke and suffocation.
The SPCA asks people to keep an eye on their pets in the heat. Photo / 123rf
"On a 30C day, temperatures in a car parked in the shade with the windows down can exceed 39C in less than five minutes, and in 30 minutes it can go up to a deadly 49C. This can occur even in the shade and if you have left the windows open."
People should also keep a particularly close eye on pets who are older, overweight, flat-faced, or have thick fur, as they may struggle more in the heat.
"Bulldogs and pugs are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot breathe or pant as effectively as dogs with longer noses."
They suggest taking dogs for a walk in the morning or evening, as the sun is at its fiercest between 10am and 4pm.
"If you're headed for the beach, check the sand isn't too hot, as it can burn the pads of your pet's paws and leave them "sore, blistered and red".
And fair-skinned or light-haired pets are also susceptible to getting sunburnt – just like humans.
"Skin cancer can occur commonly in dogs and cats, so your pet needs a pet-friendly sunblock applied every three to four hours to areas of their body that have no, or little, hair-covered spots."
