More Thunderstorms & possible Tornadoes? - May 18

[Nev]

Yes, quite a few reports of surface flooding around Hamilton yesterday.

I see reports of wind damage just north of Waiuku (Waipipi..not far north of where I was chasing)
(trees uprooted, structural damage)

Hey Brian. Incident time was reportedly around 12:30pm think?
Below are some earlier radar images I grabbed showing a small cell approaching Waiuku…

[Manukau heads obs]

Hi
it was not that separate pre frontal cell
( I was watching that, did form quickly though, and did have a nice rain free base on it (the rain on the radar is rain in the cloud being held up by the strong updrafts), and it crossed over to the north of Waipipi (Pollok))
as the time at 12:30 makes it the main frontal line, just out to sea
(which moved in very fast)
and which showed even more white (hail ) at the next radar pass , from memory

[harleyb]

We had the front hit here in south taranaki at 8am frontal system provided horizontal downpours and lots of bangs and flashes, and then throughout the day have had countless storms roll in constantly since the first front with Sun in between.

I am envious. I grew up in South Taranaki and remember that kind of weather well... Manawatu weather is dull as dishwater by comparison.

Heading to Tongaporutu tonight to catch the action on Friday & Saturday. It's a rare treat to get a combination of strong onshore winds, low pressure, heavy rain, big swells and spring tides all at once so this could be a biggie. Looks like another round of severe thunderstorms on Saturday as well. Bloody excellent.

[shovelopikis]

We had the front hit here in south taranaki at 8am frontal system provided horizontal downpours and lots of bangs and flashes, and then throughout the day have had countless storms roll in constantly since the first front with Sun in between.

I am envious. I grew up in South Taranaki and remember that kind of weather well... Manawatu weather is dull as dishwater by comparison.

Heading to Tongaporutu tonight to catch the action on Friday & Saturday. It's a rare treat to get a combination of strong onshore winds, low pressure, heavy rain, big swells and spring tides all at once so this could be a biggie. Looks like another round of severe thunderstorms on Saturday as well. Bloody excellent.

It is good being back on the wild west...I grew up here as well and have just moved back after years of working near taupo and down south...much more exposed and rough here but I like and am looking forward to the winter ahead here just below the southern flanks of the mountain.

[Manukau heads obs]

I visited the site of the possible tornado north of Waiuku
I reckon it was, look at the damage...
very narrow damage path (e.g like holes in rows of tree), with trees showing branches being twisted off
and you can see a path of destruction across neighbouring properties
and the event was described as happening very fast and being all over in a minute
right at the start of the rain
also it effected things very differently only metres apart...like leaving a plastic kids playhouse table untouched by metres away uprooting a tree