Polar Blast - August 7-11

[03Stormchaser]

Saved from Snow Bomb. Stuff really going to town with there own use ofthis new term!

[cbm]

Rode a little bit of the Timber Trail, Pureora Forest, today. Novel to find some patches of snow and have the summit snow covered.

Photos
http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/cbmnz ... 0in%20snow

[shovelopikis]

That's where I get my snow line indication from, pureoras back the western bays. Was some snow around the peaks which are around 900m

[Manukau heads obs]

reports of biggest snow fall in years around the western bays of lake taupo Omori/Kuratau area last night

[Dean.]

Still some beefy snow showers around this afternoon,this taken near Rakaia at 5pm

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Nice to hear Daniel mention graupal on the TV One weather forecast this evening.
I noticed graupal falling before the snow at SJOG Halswell this morning at work.
Snow settling but not lasting for long on the grass and other areas where snow is likely to accumulate.

[cbm]

reports of biggest snow fall in years around the western bays of lake taupo Omori/Kuratau area last night

Not down to lake level though? No sign of any snow at the Pureora field centre (559m). First little skiffs seen above 600m, then more patches of proper snow from 700m onwards. Granted this is 20km away and other side of range.

[Manukau heads obs]

Omori is not much above the lake....
the Waihi Hill road needed a snow plough even first thing this morning (report in from the inlaws )

[Storm Struck]

Very interesting tonight its so cold the car keeps re freezing inbetween the showers, hovering around the 0C to 1C mark.
Showers seem to be a mix of rain sleet and the odd flake so the snow level must be around 100m.
Id say between 6am and 9am that level will be near sea level, maybe a couple of centimeters then.

[shovelopikis]

Omori is not much above the lake....
the Waihi Hill road needed a snow plough even first thing this morning (report in from the inlaws )

I highly doubt it...hail, graupl? I drove through there to fish the tongariro yesterday morning and nothing of interest to be seen...
But even so,this event hit many places while missing lots in between, big moisture in little pockets, even in canty .

[Manukau heads obs]

the inlaws run a ski hire business...they will know snow from hail (this was an overnight event, i.e was there first thing in the morning). They had to follow a snow plough down the Waihi hill to be able to make it OK

3.7C here this morning with a wind blowing...brrr

[RichyDunedin]

The panelbeaters will do well today. There is a thick layer of black ice everywhere in the hill suburbs. The whole place is an ice rink today. Had a small amount of hail and snow last night. Still have a few centimetres of snow on the grass from Saturday night.

[Orion]

The panelbeaters will do well today. There is a thick layer of black ice everywhere in the hill suburbs. The whole place is an ice rink today. Had a small amount of hail and snow last night. Still have a few centimetres of snow on the grass from Saturday night.

I wondered why the roads, as seen on the Highgate webcams, seemed unusually congested for the time of day.
Must be very treacherous.

[RichyDunedin]

Yea the NZTA is advising against all unnecessary travel. Most bus routes and some schools are closed, the others opening late. All the water from snow melt has just frozen. The motorway has re opened and i think flights are back to normal.

[tich]

Snow falling and settling in Wairoa yesterday morning (photos in news) - 3rd separate freak near sea-level fall in the east of the North Island so far this year!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/ne ... ing-memory

[Manukau heads obs]

I suggest we might see more cold snaps in September like this...which will be unseasonable at the time...
Dairy farmers really need a good spring as they will not be able to afford to purchase supplements
then they will need a wet summer

the odds are neither will be ideal (i.e delayed spring possibly due to cold snaps) and then an early dry summer, due to el nino conditions

not good

[Orion]

Snow falling and settling in Wairoa yesterday morning (photos in news) - 3rd separate freak near sea-level fall in the east of the North Island so far this year!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/ne ... ing-memory

That is truly remarkable!

[SnwAddct]

Yeah im still pretty amazed we received about 5cm of Graupel in auckland yesterday. Kids loved it..

[cbm]

Great day up at Whakapapa today. Surprised to see significant amounts of snow still lying below 900m. Also snow still visible on the Hauhungaroa Range.