Humid weather for the North

Andy · Unread post by **Andy** » Sat 13/12/2003 19:56

3rd day in a row wth the temps getting into the low 30's

ATM still a balmy 28 degrees

Achten · Unread post by **Achten** » Sat 13/12/2003 20:38

Storms formed quickly but also disapated rather quickly. One in particular got to a pretty good height. I would estimate around 7000m. As often happens they are all around you but not overhead. The attached photo is from later in the day looking north. I sort of feel that we needed a cap to delay things a little.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Sat 13/12/2003 20:51

I spent the afternoon in the Waikato region and observed several thunderstorms. Got some nice photos of these, but I am too busy to put them up tonight. Will put them up tomorrow.

A good day for observing

I like the photo Achten.

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Sat 13/12/2003 21:32

Cool pics Steven and Achten. I'm sure I'll get some good ones up soon considering there's any thunderstorms or good looking clouds about, I just purchased a digital camera on ebay! I've talked to a guy in australia about the G5 and he agreed it gave better pictures than the 5700 but I went for the 5700, this is due to the bulb factor. I know the chances of me ever using it are stuff all, but what happens if a storm comes and it goes into the night! I would like to be able to try and get it! I'm always hoping.......lol. It came with a 5 year international warranty provided by mack video and camera in the states, if the camera breaks down due to a manufacturers defeact you don't have to send it to america to get fixed, it can be done locally and then you get reinbursed by the warranty company, this explains it:

http://www.mackcam.com/repairs_center.html

I also got a wide angle lense and telephoto one as well as a filter kit (3 filters, UV included) and adapter tube so they can fit onto the camera. I found out the charger model number indicates it is a universal one with a selectable voltage on it so it won't be a problem to plug into the wall here, I can only think the plug might not fit which in that case an adapter will have to be bought which isn't much worry.

I'm looking foward to it! Mayby next a larger memory card and extra battery, any other suggestions?

Cheers
Aaron Wilkinson

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Sat 13/12/2003 23:20

Convective Thunderstorms just south of the Bombay Hills this afternoon and evening. Cant see much convection happening tomorrow with that front so close. Tues afternoon is a good chance for more and maybe some over Canterbury Mon afternoon.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Sat 13/12/2003 23:26

Aaron J Wilkinson wrote:Cool pics Steven and Achten. I'm sure I'll get some good ones up soon considering there's any thunderstorms or good looking clouds about, I just purchased a digital camera on ebay! I've talked to a guy in australia about the G5 and he agreed it gave better pictures than the 5700 but I went for the 5700, this is due to the bulb factor. I know the chances of me ever using it are stuff all, but what happens if a storm comes and it goes into the night! I would like to be able to try and get it! I'm always hoping.......lol. It came with a 5 year international warranty provided by mack video and camera in the states, if the camera breaks down due to a manufacturers defeact you don't have to send it to america to get fixed, it can be done locally and then you get reinbursed by the warranty company, this explains it:

http://www.mackcam.com/repairs_center.html

I also got a wide angle lense and telephoto one as well as a filter kit (3 filters, UV included) and adapter tube so they can fit onto the camera. I found out the charger model number indicates it is a universal one with a selectable voltage on it so it won't be a problem to plug into the wall here, I can only think the plug might not fit which in that case an adapter will have to be bought which isn't much worry.

I'm looking foward to it! Mayby next a larger memory card and extra battery, any other suggestions?

Cheers
Aaron Wilkinson

Well done.
Not much on the radar but the radio is becoming quite crackly.
Possibly thunderstorms way to the SW

JohnGaul
NZTS

Achten · Unread post by **Achten** » Sun 14/12/2003 07:41

A couple of shots from yesterday. The first is the cb from around midday which gained impressive height. Had quite a job trying to capture the height in the shot. The anvil was only just starting to form at the time. The 2nd got close later in the day but was on its way out bythe time it got close.

Chris Raine · Unread post by **Chris Raine** » Sun 14/12/2003 09:37

We have had an active thunderstorm in Invercargill this morning from 0700 - 0800 . Continuous thunder and lightning with CC and CG bolts . We lost our power for 30 minutes . Squalls of 35 kts with small hail accompanied the storm. More CB's visible top west as I type this.

Dean. · Unread post by **Dean.** » Sun 14/12/2003 10:16

Awesome Chris,send them up this way please......

Another hot and dry day today with gusty northwesterlies this morning,temperature already 27 degrees.Warm night last night,temperature on my gauge at 1.00am this morning still read 21 degrees.

Manukau heads obs · Sun 14/12/2003 10:27

nice photos of NZ past the bombay hills achten!
LOL

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Sun 14/12/2003 13:20

The first of the two photos Achten shows a very active cb. Must have been a good thunderstorm with it and possibly hail.

The Nikon 5700 is a very nice camera Aaron. I look forward to seeing the pictures. This next cool spell about to cross NZ may yield a thunderstorm in the Christchurch area Monday.

Weather over Auckland currently cloudy, temp 24C, humidity has dropped to 70%.

I see Kaikoura is reporting 31C currently.

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Sun 14/12/2003 13:36

Unfortunately for us the warm weathers soon going the radar shows rain to the west and soon the awful SW

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Sun 14/12/2003 14:34

By the way, todays upper air sounding shows a more stable atmosphere over AK with Lifted index +5.6 and K 24. The Invercargill sounding looked cold, freezing level down there around 1300m. So much cooler air decending on the country.

Auckland currently partly cloudy, mod NW, 26C.

03Stormchaser · Unread post by **03Stormchaser** » Sun 14/12/2003 14:42

Just check the temperture at home, a cool 31.7 degrees!! With very stronge NW which have now turned around to a more SW, W, direction, but still very warm.
Also to note smoke covered the lower city earlier this afternoon, from a scrub fire in Halswal. (hope i spelt that right) took a couple of photos but didnt turn out to good.

Manukau heads obs · Sun 14/12/2003 15:08

i bet the soil will be drying out quik with that wind and low humidity

CHCH AIRPORT W 20 29.5oC -1.8 998.0 + 3.1 0 24HR 13 % 33 29.5 0.0 194.0

-1.8 dew point and humidity at 13 %

31oC would be easy enough to handle, just drink lots of water!

I have been in 43oC temperatures in california and 48oC in nevada before (that heat was like being in a clothers drier... very dry air, you dont even have any sweat on you, it just evoporates

Dew points eased here today up north

whereas 31oC at say tahiti, which they can get in the tropics, and a dew point of say 24oC or higher (you feel like you can cut it with a knife), and you only have to stand up and move a few feet and you have sweat all over you, LOL!

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Sun 14/12/2003 16:29

Good point Brian. The humidity and also wind, have a big impact on how temperature feels. Also UV/sun light as well.

Dewpoints in Auckland still in the 18-19C range today.

Manukau heads obs · Sun 14/12/2003 16:43

i have a solar sensor, and my software calculates humidex, a measure off how hot it feels, as well as aparant temperature, which takes into account the windspeed as well, and even apparent temperatue solar, which uses the wm/2 of the solar sensor to show how hot it would be in the sun
http://www.weather-display.com/windy/otherdat.htm

(yeah , i know, that site is a bit over the top for the amount of data on it, LOL)

Dean. · Unread post by **Dean.** » Sun 14/12/2003 18:35

I have also experienced that sort of high heat/humidity when living in Cairns,trying to sleep at night with no air conditioning with the temperature outside still at 26 degrees and 95 % humidity.Unreal thunderstorms over there though.

Cooled down this evening,now only 19 degrees with a slight southeasterly blowing.Still clear skies though.Utterly boring weather,
at least we have escaped the high heat now.

Cheers.

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Sun 14/12/2003 19:44

Rain has arrived here now

Manukau heads obs · Sun 14/12/2003 20:10

what is the lowest humidity CHCH has seen?
I think I saw 4% once?

it will be good to get this humidity cleard from here with the SW change coming, as the cows have been a bit stressed with the heat...(panting )

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Sun 14/12/2003 23:51

Yes hopefully I can get some good pictures up. I don't think I'll be ready for monday though, I suspect the camera to arrive Wednesday or thursday, then during this period of boring weather as John has descirbed on a new thread I'll have a good play around so I'm prepared when things look good for the next event of thunderstorms. Tomorrow will be pure film with a little digital from my nifty 2 megapixel job, if anything happens of course.

Cool pictures Achten, the grandure of them is very impressive.

When reading AVN's forecast for the day (a few days back) the figures were more or less impressive I guess with CAPE at 1100-1200 and lifted index at -4, this was in the Hawkes Bay area.

Cheers
Aaron Wilkinson

Fujita Phil · Unread post by **Fujita Phil** » Mon 15/12/2003 09:05

Chris Raine wrote:We have had an active thunderstorm in Invercargill this morning from 0700 - 0800

I believe Dunedin had some good activity also on Sunday morning, according to my workmates. Good hail as well

I missed it all

I was in that stupid heat of Chch. At least the winds were strong

Manukau heads obs · Mon 15/12/2003 09:22

i see on the news there were some fires in west melton
a dry heat like you guys had is what fires like alright!

is the grass drying out around the place now?

jeffsweather · Unread post by **jeffsweather** » Mon 15/12/2003 10:19

Certainly drying out down here Brian. Last rain of any use was on the 27th Nov with 11.4mm and I have not recorded any rain for this month.
The hot gusty NW'ers had dust, leaves and small branches in the air yesterday, I recorded 30.2C at 10:10am with a max gust of 59km/h.

No water restictions and the fire risk at Spencer Park where I was yesterday was indicating low though the grass is dry and brown but that may change in the next week or 2 of there is little rain.

Not sure how much rain to expect tomorrow and Thursday if it actually arrives!

TonyT · Unread post by **TonyT** » Mon 15/12/2003 11:34

jeffsweather wrote:Certainly drying out down here Brian. Last rain of any use was on the 27th Nov with 11.4mm and I have not recorded any rain for this month.
The hot gusty NW'ers had dust, leaves and small branches in the air yesterday, I recorded 30.2C at 10:10am with a max gust of 59km/h.

No water restictions and the fire risk at Spencer Park where I was yesterday was indicating low though the grass is dry and brown but that may change in the next week or 2 of there is little rain.

Not sure how much rain to expect tomorrow and Thursday if it actually arrives!

We got 6mm in Amberley last Tuesday (9th)which greened everything up, but several days of strong NW with those sub 20% RHs you pointed out must have been sucking 6-10mm out of the ground each day, so things have dried out very quickly.

If the wind can snap small twigs off trees then its gale force, so gusts in a more exposed site were probably quite a lot higher.

Dont expect any rain, then if there is a little it will be a pleasant surprise! But I wouldnt be very hopeful. The front due next weekend might do a bit better.