System - 19th- 20th Dec

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

7mm so far today and currently a rate of 6mm/h. Huge band of rain , very heavy in south canterbury

[Gary McConnochie]

Rain is really starting to pick up. Should get some good totals in today.

[Inny Binny]

Jeez, take a look at that rain band on the radar...

[Myself]

Jeez, take a look at that rain band on the radar...

Haven't seen something quite like that since winter.

[Storm Struck]

Had a few heavy bursts of rain around midnight last night since then throughout the morning it was on and off steady stuff, but in the last hour or so its picked up.
Steady rain just about sitting on heavy at times, thats because the rain drops are quite large.
Its only going to get worse in the next few hours, should be some good downpours inland dont be surprised to hear some claps of thunder when the SW change comes through.
If any wind at the moment it is very light Easterly, up to 12mm so far since midnight.
Yes what an impressive radar at 11am just wait for the big red bits to show up in an hour or so.
Cheers
Jason.

[spwill]

A welcome brief heavy shower here, a sultry day with dewpoints now 18C, temp 23C.

[carrot]

Rain has eased alot on the noon rain radar from Chch north especially.. 11 am was looking very impressive, hopefully the heavy stuff will return later on.

[tich]

Good steady rain in Chch and Banks Peninsula today. Mt Hutt webcam shows a fresh coating of snow, though at Mt John, Tekapo, the cam shows only rain. (at about 1000m)

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Yes looks like conditions are easing from CHCH north indeed. South Canterbury looks very good still. I think we may have seen the worst here in CHCH. 15mm so far

With the southerly change will the rain from SOuth Canterbury work its way up here?

[Storm Struck]

Just more light rain and drizzly stuff now, most of the persistant falls will most likely be confined to south canterbury.
Just goes to show how much you should trust the models .
Cheers
Jason.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Still awaiting the southerly to strengthen and hopefully bring that rain band further north. Now up to 19mm with steady light rain falling.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Looks like the radar at 3pm showing more heavy stuff and spreading back further north. Hopefully some heavy persistent falls this afternoon and evening.

[NZstorm]

Mt Hutt webcam shows a fresh coating of snow,

Does look very cold over the South Island today. The 1pm obs on Met Service site show 8C at Oamaru, 9C Timaru!

when we would get the good old Souterly buster storms roll straight through Canterbury

We havn't had the upper level cold troughs this month for some reason. I generally look out for 500mb temps of -25C for December thunder but has been none of that this month so far. GFS has a polar trough crossing Southland/Otago on Boxing Day. But seems to be little chance of seeing cold air over the North Island at the moment.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Rain radar definately starting to intensify to the north again 3.15pm radar on sky shows it. However, there is no rain falling in this part of the city now. It literally is only spot on radar without rain on it. Its more inland at the moment. Hope it moves back towards the coast

[Gary McConnochie]

Pouring down here in Rolleston. and getting quite windy.

[carrot]

"feels like 2 degrees" in wanaka, at 6 degrees though according to metservice. Looks cold down there. Still light/moderate rain in the city.

[Inny Binny]

Well it's starting to pour down again, and the change looks like it's gone through considering the temperature drop from 13 to 11.2 in 10mins.

[spwill]

Yes, there's some quite heavy rain cloud building toward chch, very cold down there for the time of year.

Narrow line of heavy rain heading for Ak, in a warm humid air flow this end of NZ.

[gllitz]

You can really see the new low forming off the N. Canty coast based off radar and sat loops...cool....

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Just been driving around rolleston very heavy rain there and surface flooding in parts of halswell now! Heavy rain at 6mm/h at the moment and total of 24mm today so far. Very strong Southerly and down to 8 degrees.

5pm radar just through and thats even more intense. Heaps of blue and light blue (heavy falls).

[melja]

Some strikes showing on the tracker now. http://weather.stalbans.net.nz/wx9.html
We have had 31mm of rain since midnight here in rangiora

[NZstorm]

I see on 4pm obs Queenstown on 6C with rain and Oamarama on 5C. Very chilly low level air over the SI with no doubt some warm advective snow in the ranges. The lightning strikes will be from the alps.

[Andy]

8 degrees in Alex + 23mm of rain

[melja]

I dont think they are from the alps, they are all up the east coast

[Weather Watcher]

Most of the lightning this afternoon has been over the ranges near Nelson Lakes, Lewis Pass, Buller and northern Westland. There has been nothing near the east coast, although we may see some around Marlborough/Kaikoura this evening.