Southerly gales and heavy rain, March 3rd to 6th

[Richard]

yes,its got heavier here now also.

[Manukau heads obs]

I wonder if the rain band moving north will make it this far north..

[jamie]

I wonder if the rain band moving north will make it this far north..

Very narrow band that. Its to the north of me.

Oh scarp that...... i just looked again from an hour ago and its really grown in size.

[TonyT]

Fendalton is showing 70mm so far (event total) while Lyttleton had 95mm yesterday and 60mm so far today, so over 150mm, and still rising. Quite a gradient over a short distance.

[Nev]

Footage I shot of the yachts that broke from there moorings in Akaroa

Nice video Steve! I see Stuff used it, but no credit?

'Canterbury storm 'worst in 50 years''

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

110mm for the event so far at home in Halswell. In town currently at work and we are sending home the few students who have turned up! Flooding everywhere. Newstalk ZB special for those local!

[03Stormchaser]

Well there was a minor credit under the video, rather they just linked the youtube clip than upload there own copy though.

[Storm Struck]

Sent home today really bad out there cant do much with an outdoors job, I was surprised that Hills road was still open this morning when I came through.
The intersection from Warrington Street had very deep storm water pushing up from the storm water drains in the road and the nearby stream too, almost to the point of floating/ having water coming in the doors.
Flooding is very widespread many roads closed or closing still, a lot of branches down latimer square looks a mess with big branches from Oak trees down everywhere.
Does anyone know when high tide is? must be close to it now the Kaiapoi River is at the top of the banks when I drove past before.
More a thick light rain now so that's somewhat relief but still streaming in from the south.

[Nev]

Well there was a minor credit under the video, rather they just linked the youtube clip than upload there own copy though.

Ah yes. Was obscured on Safari, but shows up on Firefox.


P.S. High tide at Lyttelton was at 8:35am this morn according to MS's website.

[Razor]

Well just back from a failed 2 hour mission to try and get the kids to school. Its pretty much as bad as it gets, flooding in places that don't normally have it, even away from rivers. This is a major major catastrophe in the making and the rain still thumps in

Grim.

[Michael]

Thought it was bad enough here but in Christchurch looks as if rather serious stuff happening.

[David]

Some reasonable heating here ahead of the rain band, almost up to 20C. Low risk of thunder according to Metservice.

[moylanr]

Orion media release:
• 4,100 customers are without power.
• Customers without power are mostly around Banks Peninsula, although some pockets of Christchurch and surrounding areas are also experiencing outages.

• Winds are easing, however flooding, slips and water logged ground in the hills is preventing access to some parts of our network. This includes parts of Banks Peninsula. This means our crews are unable to access areas to undertake repairs.
• Rising flood waters in Christchurch may mean that later today we will need to turn off power to some substations and kiosks in Christchurch, particularly around the Avon and Heathcote rivers, for safety reasons and to limit damage to these assets. We will be switching load from others parts of our network to affected areas, in order to minimise outages. However, some outages may be possible.

• We are unable to give a timescale on when power will be restored to customers given this is an on-going storm event. It is quite likely that some customers will be without power overnight tonight given the access issues. All available crews are working to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.
• We ask people to be aware that their power supply may be affected today and to prepare accordingly.
• Anyone who sees a fallen power line should stay well clear and call us on 0800 363 9898 immediately.

[Nev]

Here's an interesting 24 hr rainfall graphic posted on Facebook this morn…

150mm of rainfall reported at Lyttelton in the last 24 hours, there is still rain to come today and the Severe Weather Warning extends to 2PM.
For the latest info head to http://www.metservice.com/warnings/seve ... r-warnings Kia kaha ^JL

MetService - 24 hr rolling accumulated rainfall to 7am Wednesday.jpg

[Manukau heads obs]

well it rained for our swimming sports day alright...4mm...in waiuku....just as it was abandoned the rain stopped (I told the organisers it would last an hour)...but the temperature dropped to 13C...too cold for kids standing around in wet togs...changed to friday

man, CHCH does not get a break lately!

[moylanr]

Orion media update – for immediate release 1.30pm, 5 Mar 2014

"Efforts to restore power hampered by ongoing storm

• 4,000 customers are presently without power.
• We are unable to give a timescale on when power will be restored to customers given this is an ongoing storm event. It is likely that a few thousand customers will be without power overnight tonight. Many customers may face some days without power. We ask people to prepare accordingly.
• Currently, rainfall and flooding is more of an issue than the continuing winds.
• Flooding, slips, water logged ground and the many road closures affecting the region, are preventing access to our network. This includes many parts of our network in Banks Peninsula. This means our crews are unable to access areas to undertake repairs. In areas where access is possible, all available crews are working to restore power as quickly and as safely as they can.
• It remains that the majority of customers without power are around Banks Peninsula, with most of the peninsula affected. Some pockets of Christchurch and surrounding areas are also experiencing outages.
• Floodwaters have resulted in us cutting supply to two kiosks on our network. This was for safety reasons and to limit damage to these assets. We switched load from others parts of our network to affected areas, in order to minimise outages.
• Continued rain may mean that more substations and kiosks, particularly those around the Avon and Heathcote rivers, may need supply turned off to them later today. This may result in some outages.
• Anyone who sees a fallen power line should stay well clear and call us on 0800 363 9898 immediately.

Our next media release will be at 4pm today. Our 4pm release will be our last statement to the media today. An update on the number of customers without power will be placed on www.oriongroup.co.nz at 8.00pm tonight and 7.30am tomorrow morning."

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Constant drizzle all afternoon after the intensity eased, however the drizzle is very heavy now falling at 6mm/h. So stats wise for this event now: 125mm for the event!

[moylanr]

Orion media statement – 4.00pm, 5 Mar 2014

"Access to our network proving difficult.

Inability to access the electricity network has hampered efforts to restore power today. Access issues may continue to be a problem for the next few days.

At 4.00pm, 3,500 customers are without power and we expect that the majority of these will be without power overnight tonight. Many customers may face some days without power. We ask people to prepare accordingly.

“Yesterday, the gale force winds were the issue for our network. Today, it’s flooding, slips and the necessary road closures which are causing us problems. Quite simply, we cannot get to many parts of our network to repair those power lines that were damaged yesterday by falling trees. Coupled with rising flood waters affecting substations and kiosks, this storm is proving unique due to its ongoing and multiple impact nature”, says Rob Jamieson, Orion Chief Executive.

“Our crews and contractors are working under difficult conditions to get power back on. In the last few years, time after time nature has hammered Canterbury and our network, so the resilience and hard work of lines crews, and the understanding and patience of customers are to be thanked.”

The majority of customers that remain without power are around Banks Peninsula, with most of the peninsula affected. Some pockets of Christchurch and surrounding areas are also experiencing outages.

In areas where access is possible, all available crews are working to restore power as quickly and as safely as they can.

Floodwaters have resulted in us cutting supply to two kiosks on our network today. This was for safety reasons and to limit damage to these assets. We switched load from others parts of our network to affected areas, in order to minimise outages. Continued rain and flooding may mean that more substations and kiosks may need to be turned off. This may result in some new outages later today and tomorrow.

Orion urges anyone in Christchurch and central Canterbury who sees a fallen power line to stay well clear and call 0800 363 9898 immediately.

An update on the number of customers without power will be provided on the homepage of our website, www.oriongroup.co.nz, at 8.00pm tonight and again tomorrow morning at 7.30am. No further media release will be issued today."

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Still overcast and rain reducing to "drizzling in a wear off sort of way, from a significant sort of event" and it should be fine tomorrow.
This should get the Autumn 'green-flush' going which could lead, hopefully, to some mushroom development

[03Stormchaser]

Bit annoyed at NZ Herald, saw my video uploaded on there site. I had only given permission to stuff. I have found if I chuck either my name or stormchasers on the video they dont seem to use it. if it has nothing on it they do.

[Skywatcher]

Here on the western edge of town I recorded 72mm of rain for the event which already makes this March the wettest for my station (the average over 12 years is 35mm).

New March extremes have also been set for daily rainfall with the 36mm today and strongest gust of 78km/h yesterday.

[tgsnoopy]

Bit annoyed at NZ Herald, saw my video uploaded on there site. I had only given permission to stuff. I have found if I chuck either my name or stormchasers on the video they dont seem to use it. if it has nothing on it they do.

Exactly what I'd found previously when I'd given Phillip Duncan permission to use some of my photo's. It was on the condition of credit being given. I found them in various publications with no credit. Lead to me no longer being keen to post photo's or video, at least not immediately, if I was on something.

[Richard]

I hear reports on the media of this been a once in a hundred year event, has anyone got to access historic records who could post past rainfall totals

[NZstorm]

I hear reports on the media of this been a once in a hundred year event, has anyone got to access historic records who could post past rainfall totals

Time of the year is a factor as well with the run off potential.

The 40-60knot low level jet was a special feature of this event which greatly enhanced rainfall totals across those hills.

[Manukau heads obs]

how come TV1 breakfast show the reporter said only 75mm total over the 3 days when it was over 100mm?
also how come they are trying to say even M/S was unprepared?
I saw lots of warnings go out prior (i.e heavy rain , accumulations to 150mm about banks pen. and areas exposed to south (i.e CHCH)