Cyclone Gabrielle impacts on NZ - Feb 12-16

[Nev]

Some incredible numbers reported by a Davis station in Hawkes Bay:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/hawkes-ba ... VGVQXP4VE/

A little too incredible I suspect. While I don't doubt the actual numbers, I do doubt the reported timeframes.

Significant rain fell on both Monday (13th) and Tuesday (14th), so I suspect the reporter meant that 643.6mm fell in 48 hours (not 24 hours)? The highest Hawke's Bay Regional Council site that I can find for the event in that area was 554.0mm at Glengarry (243.5mm on the 13th and 294.5mm on the 14th).

I also think the reporter has confused the rain-rate of '250mm per hour' with what actually fell in that hour, which was probably only a fraction of that going by Council gauges?

Edit: 643.6mm over 24 hrs might be possible if what they meant by 'Tuesday' was actually from say 9am on Monday to 9am on Tuesday?
Very confusing article nonetheless...

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

The more photos/videos I see the more I am noticing is that it is not just pine slash but instead there huge amounts of crack willow. If you think about it, the rivers banks around NZ were extensively plants 40-50 years ago, much of these trees are getting old and far more prone to being ripped out of the ground when a major rainfall event by the pine slash pushing up against it , its a double whammy

Good point there, Richard

[Blowy]

A lot of recent riparian plantings, all natives, funded by the Regional Council, also got ripped dipped and tipped out - green logic anyone?

[Richard]

You cant beat the crack willow for river bank holding ability which natives dont do. Rivers that are at the greatest risk of massive flows should have the willows clear felled every 20 years to keep the regrowth young and flexible, this would increase the root mass as well.

[Richard]

In a article from Ian Wishart in which he claims to have found records showing not only missing accounts of historical cyclones but also shows lower air pressures than what was recorded with Gabrielle.

Climate-of-Fear-Report-final-by-Ian-Wishart.pdf

[BeaconHill]

Aerial imagery of the flooding in the Hawkes Bay has been processed and released by LINZ. Astounding images!

https://data.linz.govt.nz/layer/112726- ... otos-2023/

6FCA40CC-53DE-4F53-8F42-1B15C2A25EE9.jpeg

[James]

http://karldufresne.blogspot.com/2023/0 ... tonga.html