Central North Island blizzard

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NZstorm
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Central North Island blizzard

Unread post by NZstorm »

I travelled south yesterday(Saturday) to try and experience the snow storm over the central North island first hand. Interestingly i struck very heavy sleet and snow settling lightly on the hills before I had reached Taumarunui. I arrived at the Chateau Tongariro about 3pm to intermittent snow and about 20cm lying. The weather was closing in fast so I very wisely stayed put because the southerly storm was just about to hit. Around 4pm the wind suddenly increased from around 8knots to what i estimate was a severe gale(well over 40knots). The visibility quickly dropped to around 50metres in blizzard conditions. Within a very short time span useable roads become totally impassable. I was not suprised to hear vehicles were stranded on roads in the region. The weather was extreme to say the least.

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Weather starting to close in with snow falling.


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I ventured out of the Chateau about 4.15pm to get this shot.
Most extreme weather conditions I have experienced. Exceptional winds.

The elevation of the Chateau is about 1100m. Waiouru is about 800m.

Sunday dawned clear and calm and absolute picture post card scenery.
A great storm to observe and well worth the trip.

I took a few snaps of cumulonimbus cloud over the Waikato as I headed south.

Image

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NZstorm
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Unread post by NZstorm »

Just add the note that alot of people were caught out by this snow storm but Met Service did provide plenty of warning.
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Unread post by Thunder »

Looks like you had an awsome trip Steven, as always your photos are great!! Once again this cold snap has arrived on the weekend which has allowed alot of weather enthusiasts to go out an experience first hand all the drama except me of course because I have no drivers licence yet and live on the end of a spit called Southshore where the weather avoids!!!

Aaron Wilkinson
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Unread post by Michael »

The photos are great(thankyou for showing us them)-Unfortunately here in Auckland the weather isnt very extreme "not too cold not too hot" and just plain wet with no snow as I have only been in light dusting of snow once :(
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Unread post by Thunder »

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Thunder
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Unread post by Thunder »

How do you get images on here. I've got a few on the yahoo photos website, I put the img /img tags on but all I got was the little box above.
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Unread post by NZ Thunderstorm Soc »

Good photos Steve. Shows you the BLAST did eventuate in the North Island with the white-out conditions in Central and Eastern areas plus the Awatere incident in Wellington harbour.
Could be another cold snap later this week judging by some models but not as severe (Could be the daughter of the "Mother" !!)

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Unread post by Skywatcher »

Steven, more great photos !

Aaron, pasting the URL for your photo into a browser comes up with a Yahoo "inaccessible file" error. I think you have to change permissions for your Briefcase to allow public access to that folder.

I'm currently testing an upgrade to the forum which will allow images to be attached to a post and uploaded to an area I set aside on the website. This should make it easier for those that don't have access to a website of their own.

I might find the time to work on that this week.....

Steven
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Unread post by Thunder »

Hi Steven Graham

The address to the photos is

http://au.photos.yahoo.com/bc/humn8rnz/ ... cs&.view=t

Nothing spectacualar, it's there if anyone wants a look.

Once again, great photos Steven (NZstorm). Once I get my humvee I'm going to do exactly what you have done in your spare time when Ts and snow storms are about, can't wait!! :) :) ;)

Cheers
Aaron Wilkinson
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Unread post by tich »

Anyone know how far north the snow from this storm got? I've heard much about heavy snow from Taranaki and central plateau southwards and in the east of the North Island, but there were also very low daytime temperatures further north in the North Island on Saturday, with showers visible on the Auckland radar in places. Steven W. mentions seeing snow on hills north of Taumaranui, but I could easily imagine Saturday's icy blast bringing snow to ranges of Waikato (eg Mt Pirongia), Rotorua/Taupo, and even Coromandel Peninsula and Northland. (what with shower activity and 4-6C temperatures in the far north)

Ben
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Unread post by Dean. »

That would be great Steven,I have taken some photos of the snow in Ashburton outside my home on my digital camcorder.
Cheers :)
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Unread post by NZstorm »

Ben,
Sleet commenced about Mangatupoto. Very light accumulations on some of the hills down to about 400m i think.

A couple more images from Saturday

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Hail storm over the Waikato

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Cb over Auckland saturday morning. Overnight thunderstorms had cleared to leave a scattering of wintry cb. Note, solid precipitation can be seen falling from the base.
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Unread post by Manukau heads obs »

wow steven!
I take my hat off to you to driving all that way to experience a blizzard first hand!
wow, thats a storm chaser if i ever saw one :)
great photos too
(we missed the best of the CB;s here, they went to the north and south of us (we just had the blown off anvil head)
I had heard there was snow falling on the kaimai ranges....
Image
Brian Hamilton, weather enthusiast. My weather dataEmail: [email protected]
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Unread post by jrj »

I have the fantastic blizzard photo of the Chateau as my wallpaper!
Well done.
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