Even Deeper Subtropical Low - May 23-27

[Dean.]

Top of the Rakaia gorge on the southern side is around 500 metres,always a good chance of snow there in these conditions.Notice the radar is picking up more activity from the SE now as that cloud band gets closer.
Will be quite a bit of snow action inland overnight!,as per the forecast.
Just had a heavy sleet shower here dropping the temp to 3.4 degrees.

[TonyT]

Anyone else watching that cloud band curving onto eastern Otago at the moment and seeing a new low centre forming in there? Could bring a compression of the airflow overnight along the east coast, deflecting that cloud band northwards. Which would mean gales and a risk of heavy snow along the coast rather than inland. I'd be picking Otago peninsula and Banks Peninsula could be in for a significant event.

[Storm Struck]

TM members report a brief but light snow shower in Temuka and Timaru in the last half an hour, not sure how high those towns are but I know they are not as high as Ashburton.
Getting more of a chain shower affect now here, with showers becomg more frequent and thrown in sleet also.
Temperature dropping as expected down to 5.5C now, dropping quite quickly actually.

[MoorfNZ]

Looks like you're getting more precipitation nearer to coast than here inland - hasn't rained here for a while now but very very cold....

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

7mm of rain here today after 63mm yesterday. Occassional graupel/hail showers thoughout the day. It does look like the band to the SE is starting to try and form together. I havent really thought too much of this as being a snow event but given proceedings with temperatures I am now a little more interested. I think we may see some sleety showers this evening with a coating at the top of the hills. It has been 4 degrees here so of the afternoon and with a squall going through even less at times. Our best chance is late tonight when the band becomes heavier and more persistent. Rain totals will be much greater tomorrow and into Saturday however snow levels will be higher around 6-700m by then.
Also something interesting I have just picked up on, showers in westport in the last hour and just 5 degrees there!

[Richard]

Anyone else watching that cloud band curving onto eastern Otago at the moment and seeing a new low centre forming in there? Could bring a compression of the airflow overnight along the east coast, deflecting that cloud band northwards. Which would mean gales and a risk of heavy snow along the coast rather than inland. I'd be picking Otago peninsula and Banks Peninsula could be in for a significant event.

Yer i have and its been so interesting too,the other area that's been of interest today has been over Nth Cant and Marlborough where a southerly flow and along with some isolated heavy hail showers has being converging with area of cloud and lighter rain moving SE,but its the also fact that that area has remanded stationary that has me thinking .

I agree with ya Tony, something is brewing out there,it has that look about it .

[TonyT]

Yes Richard, there's clearly a new low centre developing east of Otago, but there's also some circulation over Nelson/Marlborough which suggests a low centre developing there also. Bring the two together later in the night around dawn tomorrow and the results could be interesting (to say the least) off the Canterbury coast.

[Richard]

Yes Richard, there's clearly a new low centre developing east of Otago, but there's also some circulation over Nelson/Marlborough which suggests a low centre developing there also. Bring the two together later in the night around dawn tomorrow and the results could be interesting (to say the least) off the Canterbury coast.

Can i see myself hopping out of bed a few times during the night and running to grab the TV remote

[Kimkliff]

Currently 6 degrees at Carters Beach, but has been as low as 5. Apparently a lot of snow up at Stockton during the day. Very very bleak for the West Coast.

[Weetbicks]

Can i see myself hopping out of bed a few times during the night and running to grab the TV remote

That's dedication right there !

[Storm Struck]

Tony the 6pm radar shows a widespread lighter patch of rain moving in from the south out to sea off the South Canterbury coast, is this the developing low you are referring to?.
I am thinking the high to the lower south is going to get squeezed and shoved abit further back towards Australia, not by much but enough to help another low develope.
I like the way the crop showers as i call it have changed a path direction of more W-SW now.

Had to laugh on the news just before they said the porters pass east of Christchurch is now closed due to snow, didnt know we had mountains out to sea .

[Richard]

Can i see myself hopping out of bed a few times during the night and running to grab the TV remote

That's dedication right there !

Thanks,its gota be done A ,after all we've had a few months of boring weather havn't we!

[Richard]

Currently 6 degrees at Carters Beach, but has been as low as 5. Apparently a lot of snow up at Stockton during the day. Very very bleak for the West Coast.

I noticed that it had been that cold over your way all day,its not often that its as cold as this side in a southerly flow

[Richard]

Currently 6 degrees at Carters Beach, but has been as low as 5. Apparently a lot of snow up at Stockton during the day. Very very bleak for the West Coast.

I noticed that it had been that cold over your way all day,its not often that its as cold as this side in a southerly flow

I see "Jim "just said the high in Westport was 13 ??????

[Kimkliff]

It did get to a high of 13 degrees today - that was before the sh*t set in this afternoon. Even my Vantage Vue agrees with Jim - just checking the weather station our high was at 5:16 am and our low was reached at 3:22 pm.

[NZstorm]

00ZGFS suggests the heaviest precip will fall over east Otago. Certainly a good snowfall on the way and I would not be surprised if snow levels are quite low around dawn tomorrow before lifting gradually tomorrow with the warming airmass. But its a complex weather set up and no doubt some surprises in store!

[LinksviewAcres]

Hmmmm, this could be interesting??

[LittleTreeHouse]

oh exciting...closer to the coast is ME! Kids get me up at least two or three times during the night - will have to peak out the windows!

[snowstormwatcher]

I cant see the amounts of snow forcast by metservice eventuating. Down to 0 degrees here with a mainly clear sky just a few passing clouds.

[MoorfNZ]

Still no rain although had a flurry of sleet/snow half an hour ago, temp has just gone slightly below 3degs on the thermometer and little wind.

[Razor]

defintely looks to be firing up off the rain radar, although dare I say it the Banks peninsula shadow effect may channel the action away from the snow mad city folk of ChCh.....

[Michael]

This low in some way is still having an effect on the SI eastcoast being part of a complex system to enhance the cold air and tightening of the isobars there.

[gllitz]

Here ya go, Jase (and everyone else who is interested!):

http://ready.arl.noaa.gov/READYcmet.php

[Storm Struck]

That link still doesnt want to work for me, comes up with an internal server error and it never used to do that.
I type in NZCH go to metrogram in the hour drop down, and then thats when i strike the problem no further.
4.5C now and slowly dropping, getting some more sleetier showers now with nice big drops in them brrrrr.

[LinksviewAcres]

Is it sleeting outside now jase?