Toni Wright, left, and Phoenix Botica decided the best way to beat the humidity is to take a dip in the sea off Onerahi.
Photo / Michael Cunningham
Toni Wright, left, and Phoenix Botica decided the best way to beat the humidity is to take a dip in the sea off Onerahi.
Photo / Michael Cunningham
Northlanders can expect no respite from the uncomfortable humid weather, with experts warning it is likely to continue until the weekend.
Rain over the long weekend, coupled with a humid northeast wind, have exacerbated the heat and MetService has advised people to keep themselves hydrated and to look afterthe most vulnerable.
Places across Northland, particularly the east coast and mid and Far North, received close to 100mm of rain in the 24 hours to 10.30am on Sunday but the region should expect mostly showers at least until this weekend when more rain is forecast.
MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan said Northland was experiencing 6C to 7C above the normal overnight low temperatures for February.
"Night temperatures in February get down to 15 to 16 degrees in places like Whangārei, Kerikeri and Kaitaia but we're seeing 22 to 23 degrees at present. It will remain that way at least until Saturday."
Despite the rain, there were no reports of major water-related callouts over the long weekend.
A group of boaties stranded close to a treacherous bar in Northland waters were safely brought to shore while half a dozen swimmers presumably in trouble managed to get to safety.
Lifeguards at the Mangawhai Heads Surf Club had just finished for the day at about 5pm on Saturday but were still at the clubhouse when they were alerted by Coastguard to a broken boat near the Mangawhai bar.
The lifeguards could see the boat from their clubhouse and launched an inflatable life raft to help.
Mangawhai Heads lifeguards helped four boaties get to shore after their vessel broke down on the way out to sea.
Photo / Supplied
Club spokesman Tony Baker said lifeguards brought two of the four people back to shore, and when they returned to fetch the others the boaties managed to get the engine going and were escorted back to dry land.
While assisting the boat, the lifeguards also responded to six swimmers who looked like they were in need of assistance while attempting to swim across the river outlet in an outgoing tide.
Baker said the swimmers managed to get across just as the IRB got to them.
"Luckily, the boaties got their anchor down and the guys could help. It can be quite treacherous at the bar and we've had a lot of near misses but not a major accident for quite some time. There was a strong north-easterly wind with probably a one-metre swell."
Baker said the beach had been busy the past two long weekends, regardless of the weather.
Over the Northland/Auckland Anniversary weekend, he said two women swimming just outside the flag were rescued during a flash rip on the Sunday afternoon.
There were up to 1000 beachgoers that long weekend, he said.
Northland Regional Council figures show Marsden Point at Refining NZ received 96.5mm of rain in the 24 hours to 10.30am on Sunday, Hatea at Glenbervie Forest received 92.5mm, Waitangi 86mm, Waiarohia at Water St in Whangārei 81.6mm, and Ngunguru at Dugmores Rock 75mm.
The west coast and parts of the Far North received the least rain. Just 11mm of rain fell in Waihopo at Kimberley Rd in Hauhora while Kai Iwi Lakes Rd received 16.5mm.
Wet weather on Saturday night caused several power outages around Whangārei.
Electricity was out for 750 households for six hours after a car slammed into a power pole on Western Hills Dr at about 5pm on Saturday.
Northpower lines' crews were busy over the long weekend restoring a number of weather-related outages across Whangārei.
Photo / Supplied
Northpower crews were also dealing with outages in Poroti, Ruakaka and central Whangārei overnight. Power in Ruakākā and the central Whangārei were restored overnight.
Northpower spokeswoman Rachel Wansbone said 302 customers in Poroti, 704 in Ruatangata and 53 in Waipu were without power.
Lines came down on Helmsdale Rd in Waipu at about 2am yesterday in an area with thick vegetation.
Power in all areas was restored by 4pm yesterday.
Xyin Nepia and cousin Morgan Nepia popping Manus off the Beach Rd Jetty, Onerahi foreshore.
Photo / Michael Cunningham
According to Niwa's climate summary for January, Cape Reinga recorded the highest mean maximum air temperature of 23.8C since records began in 1951 and the daily maximum of 26.3C (second highest since 1951).
At 30C, Kaitaia recorded the third-highest daily maximum temperature for January since 1948.
