Hamish McKay and Rebecca Greaves caught up with Dominic George for his regular round-up, 'A week of it' as winter officially sets in across Aotearoa.
First, George talked about his conversation with Weather Watch Chief Executive Phil Duncan about the increased harassment and abuse faced by weather forecasters and meteorologists.
The conversation comes following a story out of Spain where conspiracy theorists have been targeting AEMET (Spain's national weather service) including calling them "murderers", "criminals" and being told, "We are watching you".
"It's in the realm of tinfoil hat-wearing bonkers, just absolutely off the charts," he described it.
"If it wasn't so, to a point, dangerous, it would just be amusing."
Speaking of weather, a recent press release from Beef & Lamb NZ estimated that Cyclone Hale, Gabrielle and the unnamed 'extreme weather' over Auckland Anniversary will cost between $367 million and $422 million in damages and repairs.
George pointed out that the Beef & Lamb press release suggested the impacts of these extreme weather events are unlikely to be easily identifiable in industry-level statistics, which is why they have chosen to identify what they believe to be the rough 'true' cost to the Government.
"They've broken it down as well, so $12-16 million for Northland, $18-21 million for Waikato/Bay of Plenty/Coromandel and it's really on the East Coast, Hawkes Bay/Tararua/Wairarapa $336 - 385 million, so the lions share obviously for that part of the country.
"This report doesn't include infrastructure outside the farm gate either like rural roading and these sorts of things as well."
Greaves also wanted to shout out some local handymen who had repaired a road seemingly off their own goodwill and although it was still gravel she was impressed at their thorough job.
"They've spent a long time, they started at the end of the road and they've worked their way forward. They even did our side road that is very vital to us for our stock truck access and it is like a state highway.
"They fixed it all up, they metalled it then the grader came. I was driving on it yesterday and thought I just feel so much better about life."
Catch all the highlights and talking points of every week's show every Friday with Hamish McKay, Rebecca Greaves and Dominic Bowden on REX.