General Avalanche Extreme Warning

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General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by Razor »

Last edited by Razor on Fri 15/08/2008 14:42, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tararua Avalanche warning

Unread post by tich »

The higher parts of that range only reach 1400-1500m asl, so shouldn't normally get as much snow as higher mountains like Ruapehu, Taranaki or the Southern Alps. Obviously the storm that closed the Rimutaka Rd dumped alot more snow up in the Tararuas. (and alot less further north)
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Re: Tararua Avalanche warning

Unread post by spike_01 »

Looking out the windows here on Saturday, there was a helluva lot of snow.. And it was lower than I have seen it in 14 years here.. Although it was thin lower down..
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Re: Tararua Avalanche warning

Unread post by southernthrash »

The Tararuas are tussock along the tops? Can make for unstable conditions with a lot of wet dense heavy snow on top. The NZ backcountry ski guide certainly warns of avalanche danger through the Tararuas.
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Re: General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by Razor »

Decided to update the thread title in lieu of the absoulutely remarkable snowfalls occuring in the Alps. I've never heard of avalanches accross the Arthurs pass Highway before, but http://www.softrock.co.nz has pictorial record for as (as attached).

I'm seriously in shock, and its still dumping down. What a winter 8o :eek:
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Re: General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by CHCH Weather Chaser »

WoW, that it is amazing. Its quite unbelievable to think everyone else is having such extreme winter weather except us. Youd swear we are in a different country here. This is even in the canterbury area, quite remarkable.
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Re: General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by waterboy »

Hi all. There has been a lot of snow this year compared to the years gone by!! Well I should say there has been a lot of snow in the southern parts any way compared to I would say the last 10 or 15 years. There has not been much snow for a long time so this year really stands out. You fellas in Christchurch probably remember some good years a long time ago. How much did we get in 2006? - not much really and it was gone quiet quickly to. This is more like the snow we used to get when I was a boy growing up around the area. We did not realise how little snow we have been getting until we got a bit more than usual this year --- it made all of us old timers remember when we were kids. If we compare this year which seems good for snow with the years when we were little its not a lot of snow. It is definitely more than we have had for a long while but the sun is shining again and the snow which came down the last week is melting quickly. This year could be good for some lake in flow from melted snow. That is some thing we have not had for a few years. I wonder if there is much snow around Nelson this year?
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Re: General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by CHCH Weather Chaser »

Yes, from reports there certianly is. Murchison has been getting it big time. In fact i saw an article that showed heaps of snow just south of the nelson region.
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Re: General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by waterboy »

Interesting! I have to go to Mot next week.
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Re: General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by sthguy »

One February in the early 1990's - might have been 1992 - there was sufficent snowfall in Fiordland to create avanlanche threats on the Homer & Routeburn Tracks, and Milford road. While this is a heading to a big snow winter - and after such a slow start! we probably aren't into freak territory yet.
That Feb was a bit freaky for the middle of summer :wave:
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Re: General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by southernthrash »

Fiordland is serious avalanche country, diriving through to Milford Sound in the winter is always amazing, especially seeing avalanches reach the sea. Over there the snow that falls is pretty dense, so big wet slides are common late spring and through summer. Saw a very impressive avalanche above Lake Marian last November. February slides would be indicative of a pretty big snow season through there, though the Fiordland tops can get snow pretty consistently year round.

Edit - I haven't been over to Fiordland since April (when there was a lot of snow to low levels) but from what I gather, it hasn't been a particularly big winter for snowfall out that way this year due to most of the weather coming from the SE.
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Re: General Avalanche Extreme Warning

Unread post by sthguy »

This particular avalanche event {Feb 92} was the result of an unseasonably cold week with heavy snowfall about 1200m, not snowfall from the winter before.
Yes I think snow cover so far may be about 'average' for these ranges
Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.
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