Lots of lightning

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NZstorm
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by NZstorm »

Looks like that front has got lightning active again out to the east after dying as it come onto us last night. Call it the winter land effect. :-( The upper air looks less unstable over Auckland today with the 500mb temps 5-6C warmer than yesterday.

Thats an amazing looking cold pool on the satellite pic west of the South Island this morn. I hope those West Coasters have snow graders!
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Manukau heads obs »

did get a few claps of thunder first thing this morning here :)
I guess the franz josed and flox glaciers will advance again once all that snow moves down (whats the time delay, 20 years for those glaciers? (maybe it will take more than 1 winter of good snow though??)
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by spwill »

Just a couple of thunder claps here last night which is a shame as the Front has been so lightning active, always hit and miss with these Thunderstorm events.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Weather Watcher »

Frequent thunderstorms about the Hutt Valley last evening and again this morning. We a good hailstorm about 8am this morning which lasted about 5 minutes and produced a good covering of 5mm size hail.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Shepherds Valley WX »

I agree with Weather Watcher - some excellent T/S and lightning activity over the past 24 hrs here in Upper Hutt as well. Was a great chance to test my WX stations 1-wire lightning detector capabilities, and it performed well, showing a good strike count during the storms. Unfortnately, it is still plagued by local interference during the day - a Boltek one day hopefully :lol:
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by GreggWard »

Just had a short-lived active thunderstorm pass over Palmerston North in the last 20mins.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Cameron M »

Had a quick light shower with a bit of small partly melted hail here at Havelock.
I haven't seen any hail for a long time here.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by David »

Aside from 14mm of rain here overnight with some heavy falls, there was no thunder heard here overnight or today. It was actually quite a lovely day from 8am to just before 3pm - lots of warm sunshine :smile: . Hardly windy at all considering what was expected.

Good to see a few heavy showers and lightning coming in from the Tasman now. Perhaps a rumble or two tomorrow as well. :-k
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Manukau heads obs »

we had winds gusting to 35 knots (65 kmh) here most of the day...amazing how you missed the wind in land David
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Michael »

Not really that windy here today either.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Vertigo »

yep looks like we may be in for some action in an hour or so. coming in fast.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Manukau heads obs »

huge CB just off the coast here!
update: that CB gave waiuku 5mm rain (at 2.5mm per minute rate!)
update: thunder here now :)
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Nev »

Manukau heads observer wrote:we had winds gusting to 35 knots (65 kmh) here most of the day...amazing how you missed the wind in land David
I see Ricky's Grey Lynn site has been showing gusts to 55km/h for most of the day. The Gulf's Channel Island has also recorded mean-winds of 67km/h throughout last night and today. Been very gusty here as well and big swells comming in from the north.
(I also suspect that Waiheke's Peninsula Estate anemometer may not be 'up to speed'?)
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by NZstorm »

Not a bad day here today with just a isolated light showers where I was on the North Shore.

Currently dark in the west though and just observed lightning/distant thunder.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Philip Duncan »

Non stop thunder almost, in West Auckland right now. Sky has gone black. :-)
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Manukau heads obs »

great CB line just gone through here
saw great purple flashes of lightning
even a "mini wall cloud" !
(last photo)
update: I notice now I had a 1.5hpa sudden jump in the baro with the passage of that aquall line :eek:
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by NZ Thunderstorm Soc »

Manukau heads observer wrote: even a "mini wall cloud" !
Carefull there, Brian ;)

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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by spwill »

Not much here this afternoon, TS action was in the west, photo.
Thanks Brian for the photo's. Do you live in one of the best locations in NZ for observing Thunderstorms ?.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Manukau heads obs »

I notice the kaipara heads also do well too :)
(and of course the Raglan area is always good for CB's in NW flows)

but, yes, I am lucky,being on the west coast, and I just need to walk outside and get a great all-round view :)
looks like next week is going to be more settled than first thought now
will be actualy good to have some settled weather, dare I say it, a bit stormed out here!
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by Paul Mallinson »

Its often hard to judge when thunderstorms will penetrate right down into the Wellington City area from the Kapiti Coast. In those situations they often move through the Hutt Valley - especially thru the Upper Hutt area, steered by a flow that just keeps them north of the city. Well, there is a very good chance that Wellington City will have some good thunderstorm action Saturday morning. The trigger is likely to be the comma cloud (upper trough and surface low) currently sitting off northern Fiordland/southern Westland. This feature is forecast to cross the upper South Island tomorrow morning with a very cold pool of air aloft. Wind convergence should penetrate right down through Cook Strait and over Wellington City (British model guidance). However, the EC model has this feature crossing a bit further south and so this would make the prospects less certain. (We can never be 100% surein this game!)

Should be an interesting morning for Wellingtonians!

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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by RWood »

Thanks all the same, but we're getting pretty close to an all-time 6-month rainfall record and the last thing anyone needs here is more **&^%$# rain.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by NZ Thunderstorm Soc »

Shepherds Valley WX wrote:I agree with Weather Watcher - some excellent T/S and lightning activity over the past 24 hrs here in Upper Hutt as well. Was a great chance to test my WX stations 1-wire lightning detector capabilities, and it performed well, showing a good strike count during the storms. Unfortnately, it is still plagued by local interference during the day - a Boltek one day hopefully :lol:
My brother in law reported a very intense thunderstorm last night up in the Moonshine Valley and there was hail lying around 2 inches deep on the ground.
They lost power also from the storm.

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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by NZstorm »

Taranaki and Waitomo should aslo be in the firing line tomorrow for thunder/hail. Looks like Auckland might get some thundery activity Sunday morning but have to wait and see on that.
in the Moonshine Valley and there was hail lying around 2 inches deep on the ground.
I like that report. Thats a lot of hail!
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by tgsnoopy »

We've had a little hail around lunchtime on Thurs & Fri, but nothing to write home about. Still dissapointed by the way the thunderstorms are prevalent elsewhere but not here... one day excepted... More please :)

Fingers Crossed Sydney & Brisbane will deliver the goods at the end of the month.
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Re: Lots of lightning

Unread post by GreggWard »

Can hear deep rumbles of thunder here, about every minute or so. There are dark clouds off in the distant W-S direction. It sounds like a pretty active storm. Bring it on!!
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