The odds of getting some useful rain in the gauge increases in the second half of the month, but it is expected rain will be hit and miss.
Rotorua woman Tiaki Rudolph said her family like to go to the lakes during the warm summer weather because it’s a family-friendly and safe area.
“We just absolutely love it there because it’s so cool and cold in the water, and it’s got the nice beach area. We go there quite often.”
She said she is a single mother of three small children, so the beach is ideal for her. She can just pull into the car park, load up the push chair and the beach is a short walk away.
The family also go to the Aquatic Centre or get the hose out at home in the backyard to cool the kids down while jumping on the trampoline, she said.
She said anyone with preschool children knows children can be quite difficult in humid weather.
It is not only humans who are feeling the heat of the summer season in Rotorua.
Rainbow Springs, SPCA Rotorua, Paradise Valley Springs Wildlife Park and Agrodome have turned to such things as sprinklers, icy treats with fruit and seeds, mist sprays, paddling pools and shaded areas to help keep their animals cool,
Fire and Emergency Pumicelands principal rural fire officer Steve Webb said the fire danger across the Bay of Plenty is still “extreme”.
People need to practise extra caution at the hottest points of the day and also consider whether there’s a breeze that could spread a fire quickly, he said,
Bay of Plenty drivers are being warned to look out for potentially hazardous “summer ice” on the region’s roads.
After such a run of warm, dry summer days, any rain could create extremely slippery road surfaces, said New Zealand Transport Agency transport system manager Rob Campbell.
These slippery surfaces are typically known as “summer ice”.
“It can be more hazardous than heavy rain because grime and exhaust particles that have built up on the road take longer to be washed away.”
The combination creates an invisible slippery film on the road, Campbell said.
He urged drivers to check the tread level and air pressure on their tyres, as well as keeping safe following distances and reducing speed in the conditions.
Looking Ahead- Today: Morning cloud, then warm and fine with some high cloud. Light winds. High 30C, low 15C- Tomorrow: Fine and warm, but chance of shower overnight. Northwest breezes. High 28C, low 14C- Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Southwesterlies dying out. High 26C, low 14C- Thursday: Partly cloudy. One or two morning showers likely. Light winds. High 25C, low 13C- Friday: Partly cloudy, chance of shower from afternoon. Light winds. High 26C, low 13C- Saturday: Cloudy. Little wind. High 25C, low 14CSource: MetService
