Unstable period, Early July (North Island)

[Nev]

I'm amazed that there aren't any (or other) pics of today's tornado. Sounds like plenty of people saw the swirling grey funnel approach from the north, with a 'front' apparently about 50 metres wide. Other eyewitness also say the powerful winds, which had a deafening roar, and the torrentially heavy rain, which turned into half-marble size pieces of hail, lasted only about ten minutes.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Maybe they don't carry cameras or have cell phones up there?

JohnGaul
NZThS

[DT-NZ]

Finally heard back from friend in Kaitaia this evening who said fortunately his residence was not damaged in the strong winds today, though, he was in his own word's gutted that he was out of town and missed all the action. He said the home's that were damaged today along Pukepoto Road were in the vicinity near the Kaitaia College and Kaitaia Hospital (west end - heading out towards Ahipara) - he will do a drive in the morning to survey the damage as it was to dark to see anything when he got back home he said.

I spoke to a person who live's in Okahu road who said he not see visually sight a tornado - he said there was strong winds, hail and deafening heavy rain - it was brief.

[DT-NZ]

Maybe they don't carry cameras or have cell phones up there?

JohnGaul
NZThS

(chuckle) thank you for the smile's

edit: insert the

[DT-NZ]

Well, it's been a rather long day, and, I can only share this link to a youtube clip which was taken today at approx 13:44hrs - it is a short 37 sec clip taken from a 9 min recording - 10mm of rain in 10mins - deafening would be the best word to describe it, take care.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmKp9pY5TKI

edit: add - recorded from Doubtless Bay and all that jazz.

[KiwiWeather]

ntermission:

Off topic a wee bit but this is stunning footage of a freight train being hit by a tornado.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=82d_1246651100

[Willoughby]

Well, it's been a rather long day, and, I can only share this link to a youtube clip which was taken today at approx 13:44hrs - it is a short 37 sec clip taken from a 9 min recording - 10mm of rain in 10mins - deafening would be the best word to describe it, take care.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmKp9pY5TKI

edit: add - recorded from Doubtless Bay and all that jazz.

Ferocious!!

Thanks for sharing.

[DT-NZ]

Ferocious!!

Thanks for sharing.

Yes, deafening by the sound's of it - take care.

[Manukau heads obs]

nice convection crossing auckland city at the moment

[DT-NZ]

I seem to recall seeing that same photo recently somewhere else?
this directory
http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/ne ... z/?C=N;O=D
shows that image has a file create date of 3 jan

Hello Brian,

I wanted to thank you last evening for your post - great spotting . What I can share with you is that from 2 resident's who I spoke to late last night and who live in close area - when questioned if they saw any type of funnel formation in the clouds at all - on 2 account's they said they did not visually sight any tornado and/or funnel - they were surprised by the news on TV had hit their town grief.

Anyway, thank you again. take care.

[Manukau heads obs]

there was an actual photo of the funnel on the TV1 news footage though

[NZstorm]

Looking like another round of thunderstorm dynamics heading for Northland tonight. Sadly all north of Auckland by the looks.

I've got another photo similar to yours Brian. Some nice anvils out there this morning in marginally unstable air.

[NZstorm]

having seen the news footage: tiles blown off and fences blown down, small trees blown over, windows blown out
I would say about 85 to 90 knot winds?, F0 rating>?

I agree with your speed estimation Brian, peak gust around 85kts. An EF1 tornado based on roof damage.

[03Stormchaser]

I would Question an EF1 rating based on what I saw on the News last night.

EF0: Light damage. Peels surface off some roofs; some damage to gutters or siding; branches broken off trees; shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

EF1: Moderate damage. Roofs severely stripped; mobile homes overturned or badly damaged; loss of exterior doors; windows and other glass broken.

Other than the broken Glass at the Hospital, its looked like EF0 damage, my 2c worth.

From the photo that was showen on TV it looked like a Waterspout that came on land, so Kaitaia is about 5km inland at a guess and looking at Pukepoto Road on google maps it would have been hit first.

[Andrew Massie]

ntermission:

Off topic a wee bit but this is stunning footage of a freight train being hit by a tornado.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=82d_1246651100

You stole my thunder! Geez!

http://www.weatherforum.org.nz/phpBB3/v ... f=9&t=3640

[KiwiWeather]

Awww shucks, I never saw your update because we were both posting at the same time.

But home grown always wins hands down

[David]

Actually Andrew Massie posted more than 5 hours earlier

Disappointing for us Aucklanders....only a low risk of a thunderstorm today and tomorrow.

[NZstorm]

Todays midday NZWP sounding. Lifted index -2.7 CAPE 400j/kg.

[NZstorm]

03stormchaser wrote

I would Question an EF1 rating based on what I saw on the News last night.

Yes, it certainly didn't look much on TV. I guess I went with the EF1 based on this pic.

[Tornado Tim]

Only -0.3 at Matangi.
Doesn't look to good here.

[Vertigo]

another front is approaching from the tasman with some lightning activity contained within. fingers crossed.

[Tornado Tim]

Just had a near torrential downpour, 1.8mm in 10 min

[spwill]

A Spring like day for Auckland today, breezy westerly, sunshine and a few showers, up to 16C.

The top of Northland looks to be in the firing line for thunderstorms this evening, a storm just north of Omapare now.

[DT-NZ]

asked a friend to take pics of some the homes in kaitaia and while he went one way - I dashed of in the opposite direction to look at clouds, below pics taken at 4.30pm by Mr M.Ashby (Thank you, Mars ).

image 6 (pano) is taken infront of kaitaia college on pukepoto road - to the left of image (south) is Ahipara and to the right (north) is the Cape - the land area infront is the swamp area, and beyond the hill line in distance is ninety mile beach.

[DT-NZ]

Kaitaia hosp - old building and new, thanks mars