Cold blast in the south

[southernthrash]

It has been a bit colder than many would have expected here over the last few days. Snow on the peninsula hills in Dunedin this morning, to maybe 150m, through the level appears to vary significantly.

From the Southland Times:

About 10cm of snow fell at Ohai and the hills surrounding Nightcaps were caked in thick snow, while flurries fell at Athol and Winton yesterday.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southlandtimes/4163536a6011.html, full story there.

Not unusual at all for those parts at this time of the year mind you, Western Southland can be great for snow chasing.

[tich]

Haven't had much from the cold southerly in Chch, but some other parts of Canterbury seem to have, right up to this morning. Reports of snow flurries (not settling) earlier today from Rolleston and West Melton. Nothing on Port Hills though. East of North island also looks chilly from MetService obs, eg 6C at Mahia and Napier at 6am, with recent precipitation.

[Gary Roberts]

Haven't had much from the cold southerly in Chch...

Heh. It was hardly a "blast", and more cool than cold.

[southernthrash]

sorry Gary, I should have said south of the South Island, not canterbury.

and cold is relative too, really.

[mikestormchaser]

Haven't had much from the cold southerly in Chch, but some other parts of Canterbury seem to have, right up to this morning. Reports of snow flurries (not settling) earlier today from Rolleston and West Melton. Nothing on Port Hills though. East of North island also looks chilly from MetService obs, eg 6C at Mahia and Napier at 6am, with recent precipitation.

mmm im not sure whether you are correct with that one tich i got told it was snowing on the hills around midday from what my sister heard on the radio.
But there isn't any snow that settled on the hills no, been a rather chilly day in Christchurch roll on spring and summer! im getting a little sick of these dull wee cold spells! winter this year has been complete "boring" in my words!

[Storm Struck]

After a light frost this morning I expected any showers which came onshore would possibly be icy if not flaky.
Few sleety showers between 7-9am nothing flaky though.
I was on the port hills today at about a height of 180-200m and jst had light rain showers however there could have been snow abit higher up.
I think the snow chances are going out the door now even though i hate to say it however this introduces thunderstorms now which I think should be a good long season for them .
Interesting to take note of what went right with this system or flow, as showers continued right up until this afternoon since Sunday evening. This would be good to note especailly if the flow had chances of bringing snow to sea level, intstead of most of these other blasts which have only stayed around for a day if that.
We have had blasts this winter which have had snow chances in a SW flow which we understand often go around us or out to sea, then there is the more S-SW flow which can bring showers onshore for a good period of time. So did it tilt more southerly perhaps as the days wore on
Good to think about for future simularities and so we dont dissapoint ourselves because the snow angels havn't deliverd.
Now to enjoy a good hardy frost tomorrow morning followed by a nice day, then back into a N-NE flow with rain.
Cheers
Jason.

[Andrew Massie]

then into a N-NE flow with rain.
Cheers
Jason.

Now there's a cheery thought...

[tich]

mmm im not sure whether you are correct with that one tich i got told it was snowing on the hills around midday from what my sister heard on the radio.
But there isn't any snow that settled on the hills no

I couldn't see any on the hills from central Chch; probably cold enough for it to fall, but showers too light for settling. Funny how Chch got so little precipiation from this cold outbreak, similar to the one in early/mid July. Seemed to be more on the radar yesterday about the foothills than the coast - I looked at the weather maps and they showed a front (which crossed us the previous evening) hooking back from the northeast over the inland high country.

[Fujita Phil]

Yeah it was strange to see the snow only on the hills of the peninsula and low. I also heard reports of snow on Saddle Hill also, so obviously it hugged the coast

[southernthrash]

yea, it seems that the heaviest snow fell in the west of Southland.

The peninsula snow was interesting, because if there was any fresh stuff on mt Cargill/Swampy summit, it certainly fell to nowhere near as low a level. Some sort of extreme splitting?

[tich]

The peninsula snow was interesting, because if there was any fresh stuff on mt Cargill/Swampy summit, it certainly fell to nowhere near as low a level. Some sort of extreme splitting?

Unusual for snow to fall to lower levels on hills closest to the sea - usually they have the least snow and highest snow levels compared to hills further away from it. I've noticed that on Banks Peninsula many times. Otago Peninsula fall must be result of localised shower activity which missed other hills further away from the ocean.

[southernthrash]

yea exactly my thoughts. Earlier this year the peninsula has missed snow completely when it has fallen heavily and to very low levels in the city.

[Storm Struck]

Godley heads would be a key example of that here as ive seen more snow on that side to the E-SE than any other areas. There must be some kind of valley wind rising up from the sea which creates more influence on weather in the breakdown of the wind on the shelterd side of the hills eg Sumner especially in a cold SW flow.
Could explain why convection often fires off there in the summer to the E-SE.
Cheers
Jason.