NZ Weather Forum

Thought i would start a topic on the NW/SW spring like pattern in mid winter we are going to feel over the next few weeks.
As others have said what a good change this will be from our S-SE systems and stationary troughs over the country.
This will certainly bring a mixure of milder and very cold temperatures at times, so very temperate indeed.
This topic starts today with the NW flow kicking in across New Zealand today, Met Service have issued wind and rain warnings i see.
Also a severe thunderstorm watch for the west coast of the South Island too .
Midday radar looks interesting down in Invercargill with some steady to heavy falls through there.
N-NW breeze here at the moment with scrappy high cloud just awaiting the sun to break through and reveal a mild day, it went from 2C at 8am this morning to 10C by 10am.

Out here at Kimberley we went from 1.9 deg C at 6.30 am yesterday to 9.8 deg C at 6.30 am this morning. Have had a strong NW flow all last night and today. At present, very light winds - looks like the NW is going over the top of us.

Perhaps some slight sheltering at the moment for you Kim from the Alps, strong gusty NW here now.
Thursday will be interesting to see what happens with the SW change and how low the snow levels might get.
Edit. Road snowfall warnings now issued by the MS for the South Island passes and lower North Island.
Forum is abit slow today .

I'm just pleased that there was no snow to low levels during the holidays. The anticipation of having a school closed due to snow is very enticing. Wind is picking up a bit when one is outside of shelter.

Ok we have just lost the sun. The wind is blowing strongly and the northwest rain overflow from the West Coast is now hitting the office windows in Darfield. My washing will be getting wet AGAIN

Whoa! That arrived quick - one minute I was down the Waimakariri Gorge with the dogs in warm sun and warm gusts and the next I'm sat here deafened by the wind and heavy rain hitting the windows and roof.

Getting sleet in with rain now.. did someone mention snow to low levels? We're at 300m asl in Waddington.

What!!! Your getting sleet? Really? Its 16.1 degrees here in Christchurch now. Very mild!

There is a red dot appaearing on radar near the port hills. Actually looking quite unstable out there atm!

10.5degs outside (according to my simple thermometer out by the door). Back to driving rain again, gone quite dark...

Warmed up quickly here once the sun made an appearance, up to 15.2C.
Boy are those cumulus clouds motoring along, got slight bit of height to them too.
MS did have road snowfall warnings for the passes but have now pulled them down typical they were only up for an hour.
Both trackers picking up strikes too .

Sun is out lol and rain has stopped - give it 10 mins...

Wow its cut up rought here real suddnely. Blowing like a bastard from the west quarter and very dark with large raindrops hurtling in.
Seems wierd having a NW after so long of the cold E or S quarter!

EDIT did I just hear thunder?

I thought i heard thunder too razor. It is getting worse and worse out there. Very windy now. The swing seat on the terrace just got picked up and thrown acorss the driveway and i have never seen that happen to it before! You can hear the squally wind in the atmosphere and then boom it hits you!

The wind sure did pick up, and I'm a bit surprised to see it raining, heh.

I assume you guys in Chch are getting what I just had.... which means sun on the way as fine here now.. can't hear thunder.. and no thunder passed over as far as I'm aware.

Yep, here comes the sun. Very strange passage that was

lol I'll give you a heads up for the next one so you can tie down garden furniture

It wasnt as bad here just a few breif spots of rain for abit with some strong cold gusty westery winds,around 40-45kmh.
Didnt expect to see that yet as the frontal action is further south, perhaps the westerly gave it a kick.

Yep, that came right at us over the Alps.. watched it coming in when I was down gorge in sun, by the time I got back home (5mins) Alps were gone and started blowing....

Wind is getting up again, and clouds that were being held back by Alps are creeping over again... I'd give it 20 mins until next load of rain....

Inny Binny wrote:The wind sure did pick up, and I'm a bit surprised to see it raining, heh.

Strange weather, my friend in Springston hasn't had any rain...

Here it comes... v. windy now and clouds almost overhead here in Wadders...

I think we will see some good lightning flashes tonight maybe even close to overhead especailly inland, can clearly see the rainband moving into sorta between north otago/south canterbury on the 5pm radar.
I noticed the invercargill radar is actually picking up rain through central otago areas which it normally doesnt do, shows how persistant the falls must be down there.

No rain has arrived with this current batch of gusts... yet...

Would be great to catch some lightning over the Alps.. will have to hang out in my tower later to get a good view.

looks pretty dark to the south, but no rain here yet