I See

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

I see it got down to minus 32C in Oban, in Half Moon Bay in Stewart Island/Rakiura this evening.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

I see it got down to minus 32C in Oban, in Half Moon Bay in Stewart Island/Rakiura this evening.

Even colder today at minus 37C.

[Orion]

I see it got down to minus 32C in Oban, in Half Moon Bay in Stewart Island/Rakiura this evening.

Even colder today at minus 37C.

There'll be 'bergs and pack-ice in Foveaux Strait at that rate

[Orion]

I see an interesting article about the use of AI in weather forecasting:

A 15-day AI Hurricane Forecast? Not Yet, But…

https://loosecannon.substack.com/p/a-15 ... dium=email

[Orion]

I see it is fifty years since the flood disaster at Peel Forest on January 28, 1975, which took the lives of four children:

...On January 28, 1975 the children — aged three to 12 — were killed after the banks of the Kowhai Stream in Blandswood burst and their holiday home was destroyed.

Newspaper reports at the time said a torrential downpour — which produced 171mm (17.1cm) of rainfall in 24 hours — resulted in the Kowhai Stream being dammed by landslide debris.

When the dam burst, about 6pm, the wave of water and debris was too much for the stream’s banks to handle.

The Taskers’ holiday home was the first to feel the impact.

The wall of water, mud, rocks, and tangled vegetation had hit the building; instantly smashing the house to pieces.

The water lifted the Taskers’ car 3m into the air and wedged it in a tree.

The children who died were Jeffrey Richmond Tasker, 6, Julia Christine Tasker, 4, and Leighton Roger Tasker, 3, from Mayfield, along with their young uncle Garry Charles Woolley, 12, of Westerfield.
...

ODT: Flash flood something to remember

Rest in peace, children.

also, from Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub:

https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/media/380 ... -01-07.pdf

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Thanks for the above. I was going to post this on the general thread but you got ahead of me. Thanks for posting.

[Orion]

Thanks for the above. I was going to post this on the general thread but you got ahead of me. Thanks for posting.

I happened to be on holiday, staying with family at Ruapuna when this happened. 
I remember the Hinds River at Mayfield being in flood, although at Ruapuna/Mayfield there was not the cloudburst that happened in the hills, it was just a wet day.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

II see that Jeff Northcote has gone back to his original format for his weather station in Hillmorton.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

I see or I heard on the news that January was the "Hottest January recorded" ! How can that be with all the snow and freezing weather over Canada and the USA, aslo Europe plus the cold January we had here.?

[Nev]

I see or I heard on the news that January was the "Hottest January recorded" ! How can that be with all the snow and freezing weather over Canada and the USA, aslo Europe plus the cold January we had here.?

There's always going to be exceptions the rule, but overall January temps were well above normal in NE and NW Canada and Alaska, while both Europe and Australia recorded their 2nd ever warmest January.

Copernicus - Jan 2025 global surface temp anomaly.png

https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicu ... ng-la-nina

[TonyT]

This NDJ period was a fraction cooler than last season.

GjHIRprWEAEx7O-.jpeg

[TonyT]

I see or I heard on the news that January was the "Hottest January recorded" ! How can that be with all the snow and freezing weather over Canada and the USA, aslo Europe plus the cold January we had here.?

Note that this conclusion is only via one of the several (many?) different global datasets. By comparison for example, the UAH global lower tropospheric temperatures (measured across the entire earth's surface via microwave sensors from satellites) shows an anomaly for Jan 2025 of +0.46deg (compared with the 1990-2020 mean), versus a warmer +0.80deg for January 2024.

202501_Map.png

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

I see that meteorologists don't use the word 'anticyclone' anymore and keep calling it a 'ridge', as well as the word 'depression' which is not favoured nowadays because it may make some people feel depressed with the weather associated with it.

[TonyT]

I see that meteorologists don't use the word 'anticyclone' anymore and keep calling it a 'ridge', as well as the word 'depression' which is not favoured nowadays because it may make some people feel depressed with the weather associated with it.

Some meteorologists.

[Nev]

FYI...

American Meteorological Society (AMS) - Glossary of Meteorology


high

In meteorology, an area of high pressure, referring to a maximum of atmospheric pressure in two dimensions (closed isobars) in the synoptic surface chart, or a maximum of height (closed contours) in the constant-pressure chart.

Since a high is, on the synoptic chart, always associated with anticyclonic circulation, the term is used interchangeably with anticyclone.


anticyclone

An atmospheric anticyclonic circulation, a closed circulation. The wind in an anticyclone is in the clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

With respect to the relative direction of its rotation, it is the opposite of a cyclone. Because anticyclonic circulation and relative high atmospheric pressure usually coexist, the terms anticyclone and high are used interchangeably in common practice.


ridge

(Sometimes called wedge.) In meteorology, an elongated area of relatively high atmospheric pressure, almost always associated with and most clearly identified as an area of maximum anticyclonic curvature of wind flow.

The locus of this maximum curvature is called the ridge line. Sometimes, particularly in discussions of atmospheric waves embedded in the westerlies, a ridge line is considered to be a line drawn through all points at which the anticyclonically curved isobars or contour lines are tangent to a latitude circle. The most common use of this term is to distinguish it from the closed circulation of a high (or anticyclone); but a ridge may include a high (and an upper-air ridge may be associated with a surface high) and a high may have one or more distinct ridges radiating from its center. The opposite of a ridge is a trough.


low

(Sometimes called depression.) In meteorology, an "area of low pressure," referring to a minimum of atmospheric pressure in two dimensions (closed isobars) on a constant-height chart or a minimum of height (closed contours) on a constant-pressure chart.

Since a low is, on a synoptic chart, always associated with cyclonic circulation, the term is used interchangeably with cyclone.


depression

In meteorology, an area of low pressure; a low or trough.

This is usually applied to a certain stage in the development of a tropical cyclone, to migratory lows and troughs, and to upper-level lows and troughs that are only weakly developed. This use of the term is most common in the European literature.


trough

In meteorology, an elongated area of relatively low atmospheric pressure; the opposite of a ridge.

The axis of a trough is the trough line. This term is commonly used to distinguish the previous condition from the closed circulation of a low (or cyclone), but a large-scale trough may include one or more lows, an upper-air trough may be associated with a lower-level low, and a low may have one or more distinct troughs radiating from it.


cyclone

An atmospheric cyclonic circulation, a closed circulation.

A cyclone's direction of rotation (counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere) is opposite to that of an anticyclone. While modern meteorology restricts the use of the term cyclone to the so-called cyclonic-scale circulations, it is popularly still applied to the more or less violent, small- scale circulations such as tornadoes, waterspouts, dust devils, etc. (which may in fact exhibit anticyclonic rotation), and even, very loosely, to any strong wind. The first use of this term was in the very general sense as the generic term for all circular or highly curved wind systems. Because cyclonic circulation and relative low atmospheric pressure usually coexist, in common practice the terms cyclone and low are used interchangeably. Also, because cyclones are nearly always accompanied by inclement (often destructive) weather, they are frequently referred to simply as storms.
(See tropical cyclone, extratropical cyclone)

[Orion]

I see, I saw, an exhibition at the Ashburton Museum "Land, Sea and Air" offering insight into the background and wartime service of four Ashburton people.

The display included this National Film Unit Weekly Review no. 184 from Archives NZ, runs 7:27.

Of interest to the forum perhaps is the initial couple of minutes showing the effects of this event:

NIWA: February 1945 South Island Flooding ( 1945-02-19 )

- astonishing to hear of a rainfall for the event of 9 to 14 inches.

The rest of the little film shows wartime-related events - Polish refugee children, naval exercises in Auckland waters.

[Orion]

I am delighted to see that the historic Soldiers' Block at Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Springs will reopen as a community centre on Anzac Day.

At 2pm, the doors of Soldiers’ Block at Queen Mary Hospital Historic Reserve in Hanmer Springs will re-open to the community in a formal opening to which all are welcome, says Council’s Chief Strategy and Community Officer Judith Batchelor. The opening celebration marks the completion of the restoration project, which includes earthquake strengthening and the fitout of the community hall for community use.

Soldiers’ Block was built in 1916 for the mental recovery of soldiers returning from the horrors of the battlefields of World War 1. “The unique octagonal wings brought healing light and fresh air to the soldiers who were suffering from mental illness long after they had returned from battle. This approach was unique to New Zealand and internationally, and was based on Trentham Camp in England,” Batchelor says.

The building continued to sit at the heart of Hanmer Springs over the decades. ...

Hurunui District Council: Special events to honour Hurunui's heroes who served

More, and photos, at this link: Heritage NZ: Queen Mary Hospital Soldiers Block restoration

[Orion]

I see, I observed, an interesting meteor last night, appeared to have a smoke trail and sparks, have not seen one like that before. Was in sight for maybe two or three seconds.