Heavy snowfall in South Island for 28th Sept

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tich
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Unread post by tich »

Was that a -7C ground frost then ? Wunderground has -2C for the 6am reading which fits with my own -1.8C low.
I presume it would've been a ground frost - a -7C air minimum would probably be a record for September. I heard the frost mentioned on Newstalk ZB's weather report.
Noticed a link to a new site in Lyttelton with a webcam showing snow on Mt Bradley (?): http://maybros.d2g.com/weather/
Thanks - great webcam. Better quality than the Port of Lyttleton ones, even if it doesn't show Mt Herbert. (Bradley's not much lower)
Andy
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Unread post by Andy »

-3.7 air temp here this morning :( Not good for my stone fruit..

Oh well ;)
tich
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Unread post by tich »

Snow fell to around 400m in the west and south of the basin.
The interesting thing about this latest icy blast was that snow levels lowered and snowfall intensities seemed to increase the further north one went: 400m near Alexandra, 300m on Port Hills, sleet in Amberley (only just above sea-level), and snow to sea-level at Kaikoura (according to Malborough paper online, via Stuff). The Kaikoura area would've got the strongest impact - probably very unusual to get so much snow to low levels there so late in the season.
I believe there was snow on both the Rimutaka and Desert Roads later yesterday and last night, but not enough to close them.
Andy
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Unread post by Andy »

Yea i noted that too. No the first time this year that cold air seems to get even cold as moved on past Otago.

Why are the cold fronts intensifying and therefore able to drag/suck more cold air up in to Canterbury and northern areas.
spwill
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Unread post by spwill »

The colder air yesterday with the Sea level sleet would have come from above, dragged down in the heavy precipitation in that active Low.
tich
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Unread post by tich »

My parents, having heard that Arthurs and Porters Passes were very dodgy, even if not officially closed, decided to return to Canterbury via the Lewis Pass instead. There was plenty of snow (settling from near Maruia Hot Pools to about the Hawarden area), but not enough to seriously disrupt transport. Apparently Hanmer township got a fair bit more than the state highway not too far aawy. Banks Peninsula got a lighter coating, settling probably to about 300-400 metres.
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