South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

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Thunder
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Thunder »

Me and Jase were out at Birdlings flat, got a few really distant Cg's (they look tiny, lol) on my SLR while that storm must've been off the coast of Timaru, was still some twilight about and had to pretty much press the shutter release button when I saw them and set the ISO high, somehow managed to get a few but I don't think they are that great.

We sat at birdlings for a while and then started to head home as that offshore Cb looked to of died but then all of a sudden just before we got to Motukarara it started taking off as a Southerly hit Bank's Peninsula, got some more lightning photos but more or less just flashes lightning up a part of the cloud. The hilltop looking down into Akaroa would've been supreme viewing but could'nt get there in time. Dropped Jase back to his car then as I was heading home saw the distant Cb lightning up occasionally, got a few more photos with a bit of a flash in them. Not sure how they will turn out, maybe not great. Now to look through the pics!

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Aaron Wilkinson
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Thunder »

Here's a few pic's. Nothing great but better then nothing.

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Distant lightning from big Cb offshore, off Timaru coast

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The Cb here is part of the same system. Akaroa would've got a nice thunderstorm. Here I'm not far from my place viewing it going off into the distance.

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And something more colourful a bit earlier with the sun low in the sky



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Aaron
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Aaron Wilkinson
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Orion »

Great photos, thankyou for posting!
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Nev »

Pic of twin funnel clouds around Invercargill about noon yesterday...

'Twister clouds hail, snow and rain hit south' - Southland Times (Stuff)
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Lacertae »

Ooooh lovely double ! <3

Question to people using models : yesterday from what my Canterbury fellow chasers reported or captured there was quite a lot of stuff happening off the coast and I just wonder if it requires a different way to read the models than for "on land" action ?
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by tich »

Got the thunderstorm just before midnight near Akaroa - briefly heavy rain and saw 1 flash. (+ plenty of crackles on radio)
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by tich »

Thought it had all cleared up by this morning, but we've just had a heavy shower with some hail.
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by spwill »

Well done on the photos Aaron. It was a good idea to head out last night given how cold the air was over the SouthIsland. The show was always going to be off shore, I see dewpoints were around 0C at Chch Airport.
Perhaps more cold air next weekend.
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by NZstorm »

quite a lot of stuff happening off the coast and I just wonder if it requires a different way to read the models than for "on land" action ?
The short answer is no. The gfs will pick up on surface based instability where ever it occurs.

The important ingredient to getting the storms over the Canterbury plains is the surface NE breeze.
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Thunder »

Yes it was looking like happening offshore, but I didn't think the southerly would come up as far as it did (and that late either). Was thinking it would happen just south of the Peninsula then scoot further east offshore however Bank's Peninsula being like it is and sticking out like that managed to catch it. Dewpoints were low but didn't worry me as I remember this situation from times past, seemed routine.Thanks Orion!
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Lacertae »

NZstorm wrote:The short answer is no. The gfs will pick up on surface based instability where ever it occurs.
Thanks ! _b
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by spwill »

Aaron J Wilkinson wrote: Dewpoints were low but didn't worry me .!
I think an advantage of the low dewpoint is it improves visibility for watching the off shore development.
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Storm Struck »

Yes a sucessful chase in the end as patience held off and produced the goods, quite nice sitting there watching the CB off the coast come up flicking out alot of CG's one lot of which i got on video camera.
I just wonder if we had of stayed at birdlings flat what the southerly storm would have looked like being a tad closer to akaroa.
As we headed back to christchurch is when i noticed the new fast development with very dark bases ( even though it was dark already ) however we did have to scarper from there as it was getting wet with large drops of rain and we struck some small hail stones getting away from the CB.
Nice to sit a watch it flashing away on the hills, all in all not a bad week for canterbury even though none have swept through the city could be something this sunday with a typical southerly set up.
Few photos the last is a still off my video camera, havnt upload the videos yet though.
Birdlings 001.jpg
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Thunder »

spwill wrote:
Aaron J Wilkinson wrote: Dewpoints were low but didn't worry me .!
I think an advantage of the low dewpoint is it improves visibility for watching the off shore development.
Good point, it would have. And thanks Spwill for the earlier comment re photos, arghh. heh. In this instance I think being patient as Jason says paid off, we just waited.... even though it didn't look good at our feat as it went dark. Yes Jase I wonder if we had've stayed at Birdlings flat (ok mabye a little more patience would've been good, lol). I think we would've got some rain initially as it moved through (looking at radars) but as the storm headed over into Akaroa there could've been a photo oppertunity with Cg's going into the valley that's leads to Little River, probably would've been better to stay at Birdlings then follow it to the hilltop. Sigh, but we did ok.
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by mikestormchaser »

Fantastic stuff guys full credit to Aaron and jase for staying out there and great photos, both you guys!
i went out with them to birdlings flat but didnt stay out for long and headed back earlier, however it didnt really matter in the end as the storms grow rather close to home as they went over BP and for a while judging by radars thought it was heading straight for the city, saw a few good flashes and heard clap thunder even, thats how close it got.
Yes John stood up on the roof seeing the distant CB going off earlier in the evening, can see a full 360C view standing up on my balcony roof!! so not to bad.
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Re: South Island Storms 10th - 15th January

Unread post by Thunder »

And another, no forked lightning unfortunately.

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