wellington/ wairarapa storm

borris89 · Unread post by **borris89** » Thu 06/07/2006 17:54

had 60mm of rain here in the bay from about 10 last night thru to 11 today then the sun came out. some surface flooding and the rivers are up a bit but nothing too bad

Wildland · Unread post by **Wildland** » Thu 06/07/2006 22:03

Things eased in Wellington for a while today, with just dreary, southerly conditions. Here in Tawa we'd had 12 mm of rain today until this evening when the strong southerly returned and 9 mm of rain fell between 6 and 9 pm .. and it's continuing.

In the Wairarapa communities things are much more tense with the Ruamahunga River very high and many surrounding areas carrying surface water. South Taranaki has also been sprayed by this weather event, causing road closures, slips and small numbers of evacuations so far. One of those features of our geology that allows a weather system to have a patchy effect over a wide area - graphically demonstrated by heavy rain in some areas and snow closing the desert road.

Fingers crossed for people in Wairarapa communities tonight - they don't need much more rain to have a couple of rivers breach their banks in places. Comments around here to the effect that it's close to the 2004 event - not long ago - but due to the topology its still patchy until a major river breach or short deluge occurs and overloads local catchments. I suspect its the same for South Taranaki.

Compared with that the Wellington and Kapiti areas have had it a bit easier, and got a brief reprieve today with low rainfall. We're hoping we don't get too much more overnight, because the clay soils on this western side are pretty much at capacity too.

Back to facts. In Tawa we had 24 mm of rain on the 4th and 48 mm yesterday, bringing rainfall for the month to 72 mm. Another 20 mm so far today brings the total to 92 mm and still running on day 6 - we had 124 mm for the whole month last year. (gurgle).

huttcrazy · Unread post by **huttcrazy** » Thu 06/07/2006 22:22

Rain coming down hard in lower Hutt. The southerly has finally arrived, and coupled with a 1am high tide it could be interesting. I think there have been at least 15 mils since 6pm tonight.

Fingers crossed.

James

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Thu 06/07/2006 22:31

I see the Castlepoint AWS wind reading is down.. been blown off?

Westerly very blustery here this evening.

Wildland · Unread post by **Wildland** » Fri 07/07/2006 00:21

Some rain stats from private weather stations around the region for Thursday -
Lower Hutt: 61 mm [much less than the 111 mm that was being reported for the 24 hours to 6 pm on Weds nite!], Strathmore (aka 41 south) a southern Wellington suburb, about 81 mm. Here in Tawa 26 mm for Thursday.

Raumati South (Kapiti Coast) 9 mm, Kintore (near Martinborough) 66 mm.

All seem to be reporting lower rainfalls for Thursday when compared with Wednesday figures.

Let's see what happens overnight.

squid · Unread post by **squid** » Fri 07/07/2006 00:46

HEAVY RAIN EXPECTED TO EASE DURING MORNING
Rain has intensified about Wellington and southern Wairarapa Thursday
evening,and forecasters expect heavy falls in these areas to continue
through to mid morning Friday. Up to 70mm is expected between 9pm
Thursday and 9am Friday,mainly in the ranges.

Some further heavy falls are also expected about the hill country of south
Taranaki and Wanganui, and the Manawatu and Rangitikei Districts, although
Taranaki will probably ease earlier than the others.

North of Martinborough, and also about eastern Marlborough, rain should continue
to ease, and the warning is lifted for these areas.

MORE DETAILED INFORMATION FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND TECHNICAL USERS FOLLOWS:

HEAVY RAIN WARNING

AREA/S AFFECTED: WELLINGTON, SOUTHERN WAIRARAPA, THE HILL COUNTRY OF SOUTHERN
TARANAKI AND WANGANUI, ALSO THE HILL COUNTRY OF THE MANAWATU AND RANGITIKEI
DISTRICTS
FORECAST:

WAIRARAPA SOUTH OF MARTINBOROUGH
In the 12 hours from 9pm Thursday to 9am Friday, expect another
50-70mm of rain.The rain should then ease.

WELLINGTON
In the 12 hours from 9pm Thursday to 9am Friday, another 40-60mm is
expected.
Rain easing after 9am Friday.

MT TARANAKI AND THE HILL COUNTRY OF SOUTH TARANAKI
In the 6 hours from 9pm Thursday to 3am Friday, another 30-40mm is
expected.

THE HILL COUNTRY OF THE MANAWATU AND RANGITIKEI DISTRICTS, AND SOUTHERN WANGANUI
In the 12 hours from 9pm Thursday to 9am Friday, another 50-70mm is
expected.Rain easing after 9am Friday.

Shepherds Valley WX · Fri 07/07/2006 08:32

Morning lads,

My station recorded a record rainfall for one day of 62.3mm to 9am this morning. Backed up by Leo's Silverstream data so it looks to be reasonabley accurate.

More reports of road closures and slips here this morning, however baro is 997.8hpa and steady and there has been no further rain since 6am. Clearing skies here in Pinehaven, Upper Hutt. Temp a balmy 8.5 celsius.

Also...a big "hi" to Wildland, good to see another weather station fan in the region! I am not sure how I missed your previous posts! Hope its starting to dry out for you over to the west....what was your overnight rainfall total? Hi also to Huttcrazy...good to see the Wellington observers here!

Cheers,

Wildland · Unread post by **Wildland** » Fri 07/07/2006 09:05

Morning Macca and others,
Another 9 mm here at Tawa overnight - stopped raining at about 5 a.m.
Brings my total for this weather event to 107 mm.
Mostly blue skies here this morning and that big bright yellow thing is back.

I can hear kids in the region dragging parents, who've been driven up the wall and half-way across the ceiling, outside where they can shake off their "cabin fever."

... and get on with school holiday stuff ..

I hear they opened the Moutua Floodway up north at midnight to lower the Manawatu River - and that is something to see.

Still an anxious waiting time for Wairarapa and South Taranaki areas as they wait for their rivers to turn the corner and start receding.

Rimutaka Hill Road closed by two slips (open about midday?) and the Hutt Road still down to two lanes (one each way) while they clear that slip. A bit of clean-up work to be done.

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Fri 07/07/2006 12:11

So there we go.. yet another severe depression effecting the east of NZ of the weak La Nina years of 2005/6

3 synoptic systems in view here on satellite, departing deepening low towards the SSE, front with weak through behind onto the North Island, and a cold front moving onto the Far South of NZ.

huttcrazy · Unread post by **huttcrazy** » Fri 07/07/2006 13:52

Hi Shepherds Valley wx. Before I knew this forum site I had discovered your wx station on the web.

GW has a good number of council wx station data available. For the 24 hour period to 9 am this morning it shows.
Working east:
Karori Reservoir = 48mm
Horokiwi = 39mm
Shandon Golf Course (Lower Hutt) = 47 mm
kaitoke Headworks (Upper Hutt) = 85mm
Wainui Reservoir (Wainuiomata) = 130 mm
Orongorongo Swamp (!) = 135mm

Few few slips around but all the Lower Hutt rivers stayed within their banks, just..

Same again this time next week by the looks of things!

Cheers

James

janewaystv · Unread post by **janewaystv** » Wed 12/07/2006 16:56

Can see that its gales in Wellington today.