End of week bitterly cold outbreak

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Fri 04/07/2003 12:19

Still liquid precipitation here in Christchurch, but it's 3C, so this could easily change. Low cloud covers Port Hills. BTW I heard radio news reports of snow falling in places that seldom get it. Where? I'd guess coastal places in North otago and South Canterbury.

Ben
Christchurch

Skywatcher · Unread post by **Skywatcher** » Fri 04/07/2003 12:38

Now snowing here in Templeton after the temperature dropped below about 2.3C.

Not heavy ... yet ...

Steven

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Fri 04/07/2003 12:48

Makes a change from all that fine weather in Chch

Now how about Wellingtons turn

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Fri 04/07/2003 13:33

Now snowing here in Templeton after the temperature dropped below about 2.3C.

Not heavy ... yet ...

Ditto for central city; light flakes and not (yet) settling. I heard that someone phoned a radio station (Solid Gold) earlier to say that it was snowing at Chch Airport, while it was still raining in the city. BTW, note the midday temperature for Timaru - 0.5C!

Ben
Christchurch

Manukau heads obs · Fri 04/07/2003 13:40

latest sat seq shows the most intense shower pool is sneaking up and around the bottom of the south Isl and into the tasman...like its squeezing past.....with a separate cloud sheet intensifying over eastern SI areas.

these squally showers look like they have the NI earmarked maybe in a SW air flow....could be hail here in the auckland area 2 nite me thinks!

Chris Raine · Unread post by **Chris Raine** » Fri 04/07/2003 15:35

After a steady morning of snow showers the sky cleared at noon with 1-2 cm of snow on the ground. Temps were around 0.3 degrees.The wind has been a northerly all morning. At 2.30pm the sky closed again and wind backed SW with moderate snow falling again.

Dean. · Unread post by **Dean.** » Fri 04/07/2003 15:41

Snow has eased off to light snow showers,temperature 0.9 degrees.
Snowing in Invercargill again,must be the next front that Metservice has forecast to move north tonight.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Fri 04/07/2003 15:59

Back to intermittant sleet in central Chch - must've been a very slight rise in temperature. Will probably revert to snow later and come down more intensely, when the next icy pulse hits later. (or sooner)

Looks like a major winter blast for the North Island tomorrow. MetService is predicting snow to 200 metres in the south (Wellington/Wairarapa) and 400-500 metres further north., but I imagine it could easily get even lower than that. And with frequent heavy showers (with hail) to persist in the upper North Island, there could easily be snow on some of the ranges to the north of the central plateau.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Fri 04/07/2003 17:34

Snowing here nicely now here in Somerfield and settling(5:35pm)
Should be white-out if this continues!!
No wind. Calm, quiet and peacefull.
Just lovely snowflakes like pieces of dandruff falling down.

JohnGaul
NZTS

TonyT · Unread post by **TonyT** » Fri 04/07/2003 17:44

Snow showers in Amberley since 4pm, settling now, but only a very thin layer so far.

Dean. · Unread post by **Dean.** » Fri 04/07/2003 18:12

Snowed heavily again in Ashburton between 4.00-5.30pm and now 4 cm on the ground.
Temp currently -0.1
Cheers.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Fri 04/07/2003 18:31

I find it extraordinary that the pool of active cb took a left turn at the bottom of the South Island this morning and headed for the west and out into the Tasman. I would have put all my money on this cold pool heading up the East Coast. Otago and Canterbury have missed out on the active cb's today.

Take a look at this sat pic. Excellent image of activity over SI.

http://www.marine.csiro.au/~lband/weather/NZ2515.gif

By the way, the freezing level at Invercargill at midday today was 'below ground level'.

Dean. · Unread post by **Dean.** » Fri 04/07/2003 18:39

I see Metservice are still forecasting a front to push up from Southland this evenong into Otago and Canterbury with snow to sea level.
What are peoples thoughts on this?.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Fri 04/07/2003 19:05

There will certainly be a freashening of the southerly flow which will bring more showers in Deano. But i think the front over Canterbury at the moment has the best potential. It is quite active offshore, still rather slow moving. I think Banks Peninsula will get a heavy snow fall from this.

The real beast though I think was that cold pool which has done a cheeky slip on the South Island East Coast and gone west into the Tassie.
Hopefully, the North island gets to sample it tomorrow.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Fri 04/07/2003 19:07

....and by cold pool I am refering to the area of very unstable air.

Manukau heads obs · Fri 04/07/2003 19:22

hi, yes steven, i too was astonished to see that side step...but talking to bob mcdavitt about it he said they anticipated that.....
i.e a split around the mountains....
i.e it didnt like to cross the mountain ranges...
but it will mean the NI will cop it now

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Fri 04/07/2003 19:33

This sat pic is a must see

http://www.marine.csiro.au/~lband/weather/NZ25710.gif

latest update. Some cb's are now sneaking up the Otago Coast.

Tasman is looking very unstable. Thunderstorms and hail on the way for the North Island Brian.

Chris Raine · Unread post by **Chris Raine** » Fri 04/07/2003 20:11

We had some impressive Cb's in the western parts of Foveaux Strait at 5.30pm. Tops sheered to North. Temp was 1 degree at 5pm .No wind and roads are beginning to freeze. Light snow showers falling at 7.30pm. The wind that was forecasted has not arrived . My gut feeling there is still a little more to come .

Manukau heads obs · Fri 04/07/2003 20:38

its like lord of the rings...
"you can not pass!"
sure is a great sat pic!

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Fri 04/07/2003 20:48

Will we actually get snow in Auckland or just the boring same old gales from the SW?

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Fri 04/07/2003 21:28

Will we actually get snow in Auckland or just the boring same old gales from the SW?

Snow near Auckland? Maybe - the highest peaks of the Hunuas are just over 600 metres.

Been snowing thickly since about 8.45PM in central Chch (lightly before that) and settling, though not yet on the roads and footpaths.

Ben
Christchurch

admin · Unread post by **admin** » Fri 04/07/2003 21:43

Just got back from my brother's in Halswell where there was about 3cm on the roof of the car and it was just starting to build up on the road.

Out at Templeton the roads have a couple of cm on them (which was fun) including SH1 and the grass has about 7cm. It's also sticking to the branches of trees, etc so looking very picturesque

Temp is just below freezing and it's still snowing lightly.

Cheers,
Steven

D'Ohh - left it logged in as admin

jeffsweather · Unread post by **jeffsweather** » Fri 04/07/2003 22:05

About 5mm or so over most things including the street outside at the moment. Doesn't look like it's going to melt tonight. Very quiet and few tyre tracks in the snow on the street. Seems people are keepng in by the heater.
Temp -0.1C, forecast to go down to -2 tonight.

Dean. · Unread post by **Dean.** » Fri 04/07/2003 22:36

8 cm now in Ashburton,have been out driving,the roads are on the verge of grading,5 km inland the snow builds up very quickly,must be a lot around the Methven area.
Temp -0.4 snowing steady.

Manukau heads obs · Fri 04/07/2003 22:39

tom has some good web cam shots of snow in bluff here:
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~Shardie/we ... eather.htm

interestingly the days high has now been reached in bluff, 3oC, at 9:30 at night...