Cold Surge To End May [South Island]

[gllitz]

Question for you, MoorfNZ (Or anyone else in the forum, for that matter...): If I take the family (me + 2 kids) for a drive out there tomorrow, would there be enough snow around/leftover to go sledding? And if so, where would be the best place we could go to without trespassing on someone's property (or someone who lets people do that) ?
Cheers,
Glenn

[MoorfNZ]

Hmmm, rain radar at 3pm seemed to show another heavy dump for us but nothing thus far....

Glenn - at the moment I really couldn't say if it will still be worth it tomorrow, while there is heaps on the ground at the moment between snow showers it's melting quite fast - could all be grey slush tomorrow if we don't get more... probably best to take a rain check (snow check ) tomorrow morning... I'll have a wee think about sledding spots... thinking Castle Hill ( if I wasn't in for spine surgery in 2.5 weeks time I'd be looking for a spot, too!).

Does anyone have any inkling of how long the snow is supposed to be around for?

[Storm Struck]

The showers should become more of a coastal event by tonight i would think, so Christchurch might be in for some more snow showers yet as the temperature drops.
The typical small chain showers but rather intense perhaps.
Here's a few photo's from today.

Snow chase 001.jpg

Snow Chase 002.jpg

Snow Chase.jpg

[MoorfNZ]

Mega-flakes again... from radar could be a lengthy dumping..

[Janos]

I dont think theres much snow up around Castle hill looking at the webcam it looks like a thaw has ocurred.
But maybe the top of porters pass and slightly west are some good sledding places.

[MoorfNZ]

Ah, ok, I just assumed that since we're in a winter wonderland here that further up it would be the same or better...

[Janos]

I just checked the webcam and it shows a thaw.
My friend has a home up there and often we would head up towards porters pass summit
and go sledding there.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Just got back from shieffeld. The snow was so heavy, border line torrential at one point. Heaps of snow out there. Glen the snow will be thick enough tomorrow there for sure. Its around 8-10cm thick at the moment. Long as there is no rain it should be perfect. Got some pics i will put on at a later stage

[MoorfNZ]

Just got back from shieffeld. The snow was so heavy, border line torrential at one point. Heaps of snow out there. Glen the snow will be thick enough tomorrow there for sure. Its around 8-10cm thick at the moment. Long as there is no rain it should be perfect. Got some pics i will put on at a later stage

heaps out here isn't there!

[mikestormchaser]

Just got back from shieffeld. The snow was so heavy, border line torrential at one point. Heaps of snow out there. Glen the snow will be thick enough tomorrow there for sure. Its around 8-10cm thick at the moment. Long as there is no rain it should be perfect. Got some pics i will put on at a later stage

heaps out here isn't there!

hmm id say there is a little more then where you are Moorfnz as Sheffield is past darfield, jase and i weren't brave enough to go that far as the roads were really getting thick with snow..and further inland u are the higher u go..
Glenn i think i could agree with Mark to.. should be enough snow on the ground out that way tomorrow.
But not sure of many sledding spots..just find an off road some where and try find a good hill

[MoorfNZ]

I am nearer Sheffield than Darfield - I'm 1km from Sheffield and we can get v. different weather from Darfield

[Razor]

Also went for a fantastic drive. Hit the snow at Oxford, heavy dumping shower of it there then drove out of it at Sheffield, doubled back round Darfield to Burnham in heavy graupel then came home in sleet from Rolleston. No showers all afternoon at home in the city, so my pick for ChCh last night was on the nail- but more luck than skill!

[mikestormchaser]

Yes it was bit more then a fizzer then anything really.
It didn't take long before we hit snow this morning though, as we left around 11am.
and hit intense hail just out of yaldhurst way, some quite big stones to, was waiting for thunder.. felt like we were chasing a thunderstorm while underneath it.
And you could see it clearly on the road before you hit it.
Very much like your video clip Andrew when we all went chasing that day.

[Razor]

Light snow falling here now...nothing like this afternoons drive but nontheless its nice to see.

[Myself]

Just got back from shieffeld. The snow was so heavy, border line torrential at one point. Heaps of snow out there. Glen the snow will be thick enough tomorrow there for sure. Its around 8-10cm thick at the moment. Long as there is no rain it should be perfect. Got some pics i will put on at a later stage

"For sure"?
I don't think it is so certain. With the warm front slowly working its way up the South Island tonight...
Invercargill now about 6/5 suggesting warming ahead of the feature is already occurring.

There are two main issues when the warm front gets into canterbury:

1) Will the warmer moist air get inland or remain coastal?
2) Will the depth of the snow mean that it is quite resistant to melting regardless?

My bet is this:

We will see increased warmth and moisture for inland Canterbury plains tomorrow. This will lead to all the snow melting by the end of Monday.
I think that if enough cloud comes over tonight with the front then mushification will already begin in the early hours. I do not believe there will be decoupling of the surface air from the approaching warm front, because there is enough wind to keep mixing going.
So, my bet is that by midday tomorrow if there is any snow left it will be too slushy to enjoy.

[Janos]

All signs of yesterdays event have disappeared.
Currently on 8.2deg and no snow can be seen even on the highest hills.

[southernthrash]

Still plenty up flagstaff and swampy summit Janos, was out that way this morning.

[Janos]

I cant see the back of Flagstaff and swampy but certainly where i could see white yesterday it has all gone today, although the view from Macandrew bay is a little limited although i can see the summits.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Looks like the polar blast could swing back around from the connection with another in the weekend. At the moment the high needs to weaken some what. I notcie metservice says sat snow to low levels but for me the high is pushing it once again too far east so we need that to weaken off.

[Myself]

Just got back from shieffeld. The snow was so heavy, border line torrential at one point. Heaps of snow out there. Glen the snow will be thick enough tomorrow there for sure. Its around 8-10cm thick at the moment. Long as there is no rain it should be perfect. Got some pics i will put on at a later stage

"For sure"?
I don't think it is so certain. With the warm front slowly working its way up the South Island tonight...
Invercargill now about 6/5 suggesting warming ahead of the feature is already occurring.

There are two main issues when the warm front gets into canterbury:

1) Will the warmer moist air get inland or remain coastal?
2) Will the depth of the snow mean that it is quite resistant to melting regardless?

My bet is this:

We will see increased warmth and moisture for inland Canterbury plains tomorrow. This will lead to all the snow melting by the end of Monday.
I think that if enough cloud comes over tonight with the front then mushification will already begin in the early hours. I do not believe there will be decoupling of the surface air from the approaching warm front, because there is enough wind to keep mixing going.
So, my bet is that by midday tomorrow if there is any snow left it will be too slushy to enjoy.

So do we have any reports from inland Canty as to whether the snow survived?

[MoorfNZ]

Hi - inland Canty here - it's all turning a bit mushy tbh - sun melting it fast around these parts.

Lovely crisp, sunny day today - looking towards Chch seems messy though....

[gllitz]

Went for a drive today with the family...went north to Rangiora and turned inland...on to Oxford then over to Sheffield/Waddington and then back to Chch. You could tell there was a somewhat decent fall, as there was lots of snow still in many of the paddocks and on the side of roads, but with the sun shining like it was, it was disappearing quickly. Our ever-so-accurate car thermometer said it was 12C at one stage...we even made a snow man across from the pie shop in Sheffield, with a carrot nose and all! (have yet to go to the pie shop, but judging by the amount of people stopping, they must be good pies...maybe next time!)

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Went for a drive today with the family...went north to Rangiora and turned inland...on to Oxford then over to Sheffield/Waddington and then back to Chch. You could tell there was a somewhat decent fall, as there was lots of snow still in many of the paddocks and on the side of roads, but with the sun shining like it was, it was disappearing quickly. Our ever-so-accurate car thermometer said it was 12C at one stage...we even made a snow man across from the pie shop in Sheffield, with a carrot nose and all! (have yet to go to the pie shop, but judging by the amount of people stopping, they must be good pies...maybe next time!)

Funny haha. Thats exactly where i was standing yesterday afternoon during the very heavy snow that fell there for half an hour or so! I have pics i will put on this evening.

[MoorfNZ]

Must have been a cracking day up Hutt and seems quite a few people have come out from town to see the snow - traffic returning to town through village is heavy! *turns up telly*

The Sheffield Pie shop is ok but, imho, Darfield bakery is far, far better

[Janos]

Went for a drive today with the family...went north to Rangiora and turned inland...on to Oxford then over to Sheffield/Waddington and then back to Chch. You could tell there was a somewhat decent fall, as there was lots of snow still in many of the paddocks and on the side of roads, but with the sun shining like it was, it was disappearing quickly. Our ever-so-accurate car thermometer said it was 12C at one stage...we even made a snow man across from the pie shop in Sheffield, with a carrot nose and all! (have yet to go to the pie shop, but judging by the amount of people stopping, they must be good pies...maybe next time!)

Yes good pies man..