Difficult days lie ahead for Aucklanders after a quarter of the city was caught in a blackout.
More than 100,000 homes and businesses were cut off from power on Wednesday morning following the previous night's storm - and Vector warns it may take several days to be restored in some areas.
Cut off from their coffee machines and with temperatures plunging below 20degC, Newshub has put together a light-hearted self-help guide for our JAFA friends on how to survive.
- Why Auckland was hit so hard by storm
- Weather live updates: Air NZ warns of 'significant disruption'
How to stay warm
Temperatures dropped down to a mere 14degC on Wednesday, and are expected to hover around 20degC during the rest of the week.
Use this as an opportunity to stay fabulous and layer up with some warm clothes. Luxurious and thick fabrics keep your body heat in while creating a sculptural and sultry look.
Over-the-knee boots are the must-have item to keep legs dry - you could even be bit naughty and go for thigh-high boots.
Wool is always a fashionable fabric. Try a cashmere cardigan or mohair sweater, and team this up with a colour-coordinated scarf.
How to stay clean
There's no need to wash under a cold hose like a South Islander. Civil Defence says if your power is expected to be out for a day, conserve your hot water. But when you run out, it's time to take desperate measures.
First, find a friend with hot water and use theirs up instead. After that, turn to work or the gym.
If you have a gas stove, heat up a saucepan of water, combine with some lavender essential oil and use this to sponge-bath.
The final choice? Use dry shampoo.
How to survive without Netflix
Use this as an opportunity to catch up on a good book or board game - but there are still options if you can't wait for your favourite episode.
Spark has opened up its WiFi network for Aucklandlers due to the high number of cellphone towers offline across Auckland.
Anyone in the region - including non-Spark customers - within range of a Spark WiFi hotspot can simply search for the Spark network and click to join the network, with no password required.
There's no word on whether this has data limits, or if adult sites have been blocked.
How to make your own coffee
There's no need to resort to instant coffee. Even if your coffee machine doesn't work, there are still ways to get your caffeine fix.
Try making a cold-brew coffee. Grind your coffee beans coarsely and combine the grounds with water. Leave it to steep overnight, or for at least 12 hours.
The coffee infuses the water, bringing out the natural flavours in the coffee beans that hot water destroys. This creates a drink of lower acidity that is crisper and sweeter than the normal coffee-shop coffee.
How to keep your organic food fresh
Civil Defence has issued a guide on how to survive the power cut and keep your food edible
Keep your fridge and freezer closed to keep food chilled.
Throw away any frozen food that has been exposed to temperatures 4degC for two hours or more or that has an unusual odour, colour or texture. When in doubt, throw it out.
If food in the freezer is colder than 4degC and has ice crystals on it, you can refreeze it.
Newshub.
