Lack of thunderstorms over Canterbury

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Tue 16/03/2004 22:09

I was SOOOOOOOO disappointed that there were no thunderstorms today as forecasted by Kay Gregory and Sue Scott on the Prime TV weather last night.

I am never going to watch or listen to Kay Gregory ever again, if she appears on TV One's weather, because her forecasts are so terrible.
I spent alot of time organising and getting equipment ready for lots of thunderstorm activity over Canterbury today, because Kay/Sue said we were going to have thunderstorms here in Canterbury and Christchurch.

PRIME weather last night had only one word for the weather in Christchurch today and the word was THUNDERSTORMS.
With this type of infomation, the word is "Go go" for storm-chasers here in Canterbury.
Thanks to Steven Graham for the lend of his video camera plus Bob Crowder has his new digital camera so if anything that would look interesting we would be ready for it

There was a lovely sunrise this morning as described by Tich in another post, but a 'Red Sky in the morning,can be a NZTS thunderhopes a dissapoint-ning" like it was today.

JohnGaul
NZTS

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 16/03/2004 22:51

Well, it got warm in this morning's sunshine and the cloud thickened from the west later - signs for afternoon action? But nothing more than a couple of spits for Chch city during the day. Might've been more action elsewhere in Canty, as the radar showed bright patches, and the cloud certainly looked dark in places to the west and south, but probably not quite unstable enough for major (if any) thunderstorm activity (though TV1 Weather mentioned afternoon thunderstorms in Central Otago). Raining now in the city, though probably not a thunderstorm style situation.

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Wed 17/03/2004 09:22

Met Service 4am Radar suggests there were Thunderstorms out to the NE of Christchurch this morning and close enough for the Lightning show to have been seen from the city if you were awake .

wxgirl · Unread post by **wxgirl** » Wed 17/03/2004 17:18

Posted: Tue 16/03/2004 22:09Â Â Â Post subject: Lack of thunderstorms over Canterbury
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I was SOOOOOOOO disappointed that there were no thunderstorms today as forecasted by Kay Gregory and Sue Scott on the Prime TV weather last night.
I am never going to watch or listen to Kay Gregory ever again, if she appears on TV One's weather, because her forecasts are so terrible.
I spent alot of time organising and getting equipment ready for lots of thunderstorm activity over Canterbury today, because Kay/Sue said we were going to have thunderstorms here in Canterbury and Christchurch.

Hey, don't shoot the messenger John! They're both just reading MetService scripts ... !

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Wed 17/03/2004 18:00

Met Service 4am Radar suggests there were Thunderstorms out to the NE of Christchurch this morning and close enough for the Lightning show to have been seen from the city if you were awake.

Rained on and off in Chch last night - I must've been asleep about 4AM, but buildings largely obscure most long-distance views from the central city anyway. Forecast was for more rain at times today, but nothing more than some early drizzle, with scattered drizzle elsewhere in the area (a bit more rain in northern North Canterbury, ie Cheviot area) according to radar. A few patches of blue about the middle of the day.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Wed 17/03/2004 20:17

John, to use storm chase jargon, thats a 'BUST'

Thats a busted storm chase if ever I saw one.

Reminds me of a chase trip I did once into the Waikato and got nothing. But to catch the best weather, you take a chance. Next day I was rewarded with a magnificient Tstorm down there.

I agree with wxgirl "don't shoot the messenger". As a long term member of the NZTS you have the experience and knowledge over Kay Gregory to form your own opinions of whats likely or not.

The trough currently crossing NZ is a fizzer if ever I saw one. Nothing happening in it at all, despite Met Service predictions of heavy rain.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Wed 17/03/2004 22:38

Some more light drizzle this evening, but hardly enough to dampen the ground. Seems like this weather system is only gradually weakening, but has already lost alot of its power over Canterbury since last night.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Thu 18/03/2004 20:36

wxgirl wrote: Hey, don't shoot the messenger John! They're both just reading MetService scripts ... !

I agree with wxgirl "don't shoot the messenger". As a long term member of the NZTS you have the experience and knowledge over Kay Gregory to form your own opinions of whats likely or not.

It's OK Weather Girl and you NZ Storm.
I was just being cynical.

Tuesday morning did look promising but as the day developed it looked hopeless. No wind of note to enhance any development.
I find that weather people tend to overforecast thunderstorm tendancy in situations which could lead to thunderstorm development.

I tend to either snigger or take it as it comes.

The BlueSkies forecast was the better for the days weather.

JohnGaul
NZTS

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Thu 18/03/2004 20:49

spwill wrote:Met Service 4am Radar suggests there were Thunderstorms out to the NE of Christchurch this morning and close enough for the Lightning show to have been seen from the city if you were awake .

I went for a "Jimmy Riddle" about 3am and saw nothing.
and back to bed again like a normal human being.
As Steven W said in another post it was a'bust'.
If any lightning occured, it couldn't of been severe enough other wize it would of woken NZTS member Aaron, who lives by the sea, in Southshore, New Brighton

JohnGaul
NZTS

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Thu 18/03/2004 22:26

Well on the bright side the sun shone today and only a moderate SW in the afternoon but we will have to "pay" for it soon

Dean. · Unread post by **Dean.** » Thu 18/03/2004 22:37

I check out both forecasts each day and yes Blue Skies tend to be more accurate.
How boring is this weather lately.

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Thu 18/03/2004 22:57

No I didn't see anything that night John, I saw the radar for that morning and even if there was a thunderstorm I still wouldn't of been woken up by it because I'm still to far away.

Here's the lightning map for the past five days so if anything happened you would think it would've been recorded, as discussion has suggested even this service doesn't pick up all strikes (lightning flashes etc) but still you'd think it would've registered one at least if there was a storm.

?????

And yes, I agree about blueskies, Metservice just keeps me on a natural high, lol