Marlborough Sounds – New Member

[Pelorus Pete]

Firstly -- hello from Pelorus Sound – Marlborough.

I have been monitoring your forum for a few weeks - and now would like to contribute and pick some brains etc.
My attention to more info regarding weather of late has been sparked by the (what I see) unusual weather patterns this last 4-5 weeks.

We had 319mm of rain in the first two weeks of October and only a 23mm since, and nothing since 8th November. We experienced that very hot period late November like a lot of others, but have been fortunate with lighter winds over this normally windy period. The lack of wind has definatly – thus far – aided in keeping our streams and moisture levels at an adequate level.
My weather forecast for us in the near future – looks better, with a wet N – NE low coming down off the East Coast of the North Island latter week. We generally don’t get large amounts of rain from this quarter – but one can only hope ????

Our predominate rains come from the NW – and we can pretty well guarantee large amounts of rain when there is a “Heavy Rain” warning issued for the Nelson Lakes/Buller/Richmond Ranges. It is not unusual for us to receive 150 – 300mm in one go. 50 – 100mm rains are common. Our annual rainfall has varied from 1419mm - 2533mm in the last 6 years I have records.

Can any of you tell me please - if I can have a weather station that stores info itself and then downloads to computer when the computer is switched on ??? We do not have power and only have Generator or Inverter on, periodically during the day.

Regards – Peter

[Willoughby]

Welcome to the forum Pete!

Yes, it's getting a bit worrying this rainfall situation... and I bet much more for you where it's very dependant on storm tracks.
What's even more worring is the pattern south of the Coral Sea to about Norfolk Island where seas are becoming cooler than normal and convection is being suppressed with a pacific-wide La Nina. (eek)

I think any weather station will do your job, not sure about a La Crosse but a Davis Vantage Pro2 system will definitely work if you buy the serial data-logger. If your budget allows for a Davis product then get that for sure. I really recommend it and has already paid for itself two times over.

[RWood]

How far up the sound are you Pete? I know rainfall in the area varies a lot from one end to the other (the Crail Bay station averages almost 1800mm/year).

[Pelorus Pete]

My location is "Black Point" 5 nautical miles via boat from Havelock Marina. We definatly get larger dumps of NW rain than some outer parts of the Sounds.
Thanx for weather station advice Foggy

[RWood]

I've seen rainfall means in the Sounds and adjacent area that range from only 780mm at Brothers, to over 2000mm at Rai and other spots. In moist N/NW conditions with mist and drizzle round the forests I remember driving out of Hira, and suddenly leaving it all behind when turning into Tasman Bay - high cloud and sunshine instead.

[tich]

Can the Sounds get much rain from a southerly, or do the main Malborough ranges provide shelter?

[Pelorus Pete]

Where we are - if the Southerly is a True S - 95% of time we get perfect weather - sun and no wind or rain. Towards the tale of the S, we often get a SE for a short period, but no rain with it.
If the Ferries are not sailing because of a S - we have brilliant weather, people find it hard to believe if they are here and cant cross back over due to weather conditions in the Straight. Even our temps will be 5 – 10c above Wellington at the time of a good S blast.

[RWood]

Which compensates for your vulnerability to NW and NNE. When there are humid N/NE flows over NZ with rain in the obvious places the SW quadrant of the NI is dry and often sunny, or gets a couple of spits and then the sun comes out. I always downgrade the local rain predictions I hear in such situations. At just those times I can see dark rainclouds shrouding the Sounds from hill views here, and Nelson and parts of the Sounds can cop a lot of rain.

[Pelorus Pete]

We managed to squeeze 8mm out of the very humid N – NE last night (or was it N-NW)
Not a drought breaker – but better than nothing. Looks like most of this weeks fronts will slide past us down the W Coast – hope we will catch the edges ????

[tich]

Where we are - if the Southerly is a True S - 95% of time we get perfect weather - sun and no wind or rain. Towards the tale of the S, we often get a SE for a short period, but no rain with it.
If the Ferries are not sailing because of a S - we have brilliant weather, people find it hard to believe if they are here and cant cross back over due to weather conditions in the Straight. Even our temps will be 5 – 10c above Wellington at the time of a good S blast.

So I guess you wouldn't see snow on the hills in the Sounds very often.
I imagine areas northeast of Picton would be more exposed to southeasterly storms and rain from that direction than where you are

[Pelorus Pete]

There is a hill “Mt Duncan” 892m above Linkwater (between us and Picton) that gets a dusting 1-2 times. Also sometimes we awake to see snow on Mt stokes 1203m – this is ENE of us and gets snow in a True cold S that cuts through the Cook Straight – probably 3-4 times a winter.
I am getting rather tetchy with this teasing weather of late !!!!!!!

Dull – humid – sticky – and the odd spit/drop of aqua – bloody frustrating !!!!!!! Been in Blenheim again today – boy its dry and the Wairau looking very slow and empty-ish.

[Pelorus Pete]

Finally – some rain of significance !!!!!!!!
Drizzle most of yesterday turned into more serious showers during last night and now still good showers rolling in.
35mls thus far for last 24 hours

[Pelorus Pete]

From famine to feast !!!!!

Went to Blenheim and it was very heavy rain in there – not a common site, I must add.
Got home and another 60mls in gauge. So since drizzle started yesterday morning we have had close to 100mls. All of which has soaked in and next to no runoff.
A good Xmas present for all in this area.

[jrj]

Don't you mean "mm"? (millimetres, not millilitres)

[Pelorus Pete]

Good Point !!!!!!
For some reason (probably lack of schooling ) I always quote "mls" when talking measurements of rain.
I would imagine we have had, slightly more rain fall on top of us than 100mls.

Should go back to quoting in “inches” again.

We have now had 4 inches of rain in the last 30 hours

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

We have now had 4 inches of rain in the last 30 hours

That's about a 100hPas, isn't it ??

JohnGaul
NZTS

[Pelorus Pete]

Say "what" ??????????

[jrj]

How many pints?

[Pelorus Pete]

This www site is good to keep track of what’s up weather wise around the country. Wouldn’t mind been able to afford to purchase and subscribe to it myself. $600 per year and approx $2500 for equipment but !!!!!!

http://harvest.com/w.cgi?hsn=3427