Editorial: Fury of storm never arrived

Rotorua missed the worst of Cyclone Lusi

They say it's better to be overprepared than underprepared.

Which is why, on Friday night, I managed to singlehandedly lug my outdoor furniture into the garage - out of the way of the approaching ex-Tropical Cyclone Lusi.

A colleague reluctantly cancelled a weekend at Ohope Beach while another found herself in a big queue at the supermarket full of people stocking up for a long weekend indoors.

One extremely prepared family member not only put tarpaulins over everything outside but boiled five kettles of water.

Yet in the end, many in Rotorua were left underwhelmed by Lusi, as we escaped the worst of the storm.

Readers on our Facebook page joked the worst to happen to them was a jandal blown off the deck, a weta taking refuge in a shoe or a howling dog keeping them awake.

But not everyone in our region escaped unscathed, with hundreds affected by power cuts.

It was also terrible timing for a number of big outdoor events - hugely disappointing for the organisers and participants after months of preparation and planning.

You're a tough lot though. A bit of rain and wind wasn't enough to deter the hardy souls who still turned out for events such as the Relay for Life, Tarawera Ultramarathon, the Pacific Islands Family Fun Day and the Rotorua Walking Festival.

Although this time we got off lightly, we were right to be prepared.

Lusi had killed in Vanuatu and weather experts were telling us it had the potential to cause serious harm here too. We've all seen how powerful nature can be - I still remember Cyclone Bola even though it was 14 years ago. It truly was better to be safe than sorry.

The good news is the MetService forecast is for clear skies and 23C tomorrow - anyone want to help me lug that furniture back out again?