Thunderstorms 7 Jan 2021

[Storm Struck]

Just getting abit of a shower here, but it certainly doesn't have that fruitful punchy look to it today.
We did have a brief SW now it's westerly so not helping those cloud tops.
I do see some possible cells inland from Timaru though

[Richard]

The NW wind that has been plaguing this area has now died out, thank goodness. Some good build ups starting with this cloud out to the SE being one

SE.JPG

[Chris Raine]

Bliz showing lightning at Oamaru/Waimate

[dogmelon]

That slot inland a bit from Timaru always gets something on risk days. Why is it like that there?

[Chris W]

Raining in Amberley and looks on radar like a thunderstorm is forming close by....edit, maybe not.

Edit 4pm - just had a torrential shower but no thunder yet.

[mikestormchaser]

That slot inland a bit from Timaru always gets something on risk days. Why is it like that there?

The direction of the land along the foothills is a perfect spot for heating and convection.

Areas such as mt peel ' thunderstorm corner' tend absorb alot of heat and then act as a radiator forming the CBs which then often blow out east towards timaru or NE towards ashburton. Its a classic!

[dogmelon]

Cool, cheers for the info Mike. Ashburton is thunderstorm alley. Chc is anti-thunderstorm ally.

[darcyplumb]

Cool, cheers for the info Mike. Ashburton is thunderstorm alley. Chc is anti-thunderstorm ally.

We’ve had bugger all in Ashburton this season. Normally we’ve had a few decent thunderstorms by now.

[TonyT]

Heavens just opened over Amberley, albeit briefly, 5mm in the last 20 mins, and some lightning strikes detected 20-30km away.

[Chris W]

Richard, radar looks interesting your way...

[Richard]

Thunder storm has developed to my SW,

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Bliz showing lightning at Oamaru/Waimate

That Cb did mature and i was getting sferics from it but sadly it died away to just become showery.
Nothing much here. had a light throwover sort of shower from the west but nothing to get things going. Rather flat cloud layers about.
All over bar the shouting but may get a shower later this evening.
I see MS have issued a STW for this area from 4pm? I don't why?

[mikestormchaser]

Bliz showing lightning at Oamaru/Waimate

That Cb did mature and i was getting sferics from it but sadly it died away to just become showery.
Nothing much here. had a light throwover sort of shower from the west but nothing to get things going. Rather flat cloud layers about.
All over bar the shouting but may get a shower later this evening.
I see MS have issued a STW for this area from 4pm? I don't why?

MS over played todays set up in my opinion. It just didnt have that look about it on the models today that it would set things alight like the weekend just been.
To me a inland timaru event but i have to say there were some small cells developing in north Canterbury aswel

Im glad i made the call to stick to my akaroa plans for a day out

[Richard]

Thought I would go for a evening drive and catch up with this shower to my north, looked to be heavy rain which it was




Sadly no thunder but must have been close to it

hills.JPG

[Richard]

As soon as I had got home we heard thunder to the south from another developing storm,

evening.JPG

so off I go and again through to Waikari and some very heavy rain and flashes of lightning,

this was the same cell that I went to meet to the north, it had intensified and merged with the one to the south. Wonderful end to the day, and to have had a storm at 8.30 in the evening to

[Chris W]

Heavy rain coming onto Chch city now, doesn't quite look thundery on radar however.

[dogmelon]

Nice photos Richard. Waikari seems to be Amuri's magic spot?

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Cool, cheers for the info Mike. Ashburton is thunderstorm alley. Chc is anti-thunderstorm ally.

Close to it but not today.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Another picture from today