Where are the gales?

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Thu 06/05/2004 22:15

I see there's another severe weather warning for Canterbury, with wind gusts up to 120kph predicted inland and exposed parts of Banks Peninsula (I guess the higher hills) - these winds expected to develop this evening and last overnight. Presumably this means 'lesser' gales for Chch. Well it got very gusty at times today (probably near gale on occasion) in Chch, but the wind's alot lighter now.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Thu 06/05/2004 23:29

Yes Ben, I noticed it is a bit quieter this evening with regards to windy conditions as forecasted by MetSerive in their latest upgraded SWB.
However the barometer is dropping again heralding the arrival/passage of the next front.
Judging by models a few days ago, i thought, today we may of been for a thunderstorm possibly, but the NW have continued.
One thing I noticed of which I thought unusual this morning.
There was a northerly breeze blowing here this morning but I observed on the way to work, cloud moving in from the south around the back of the Port Hills? Also across the plains to the NW.
There are a few sferics on the radio as I type too now.
Currently, it is fine and clear with a light northerly breeze here. Temp 8.1C

...ho..hum off to bed

JohnGaul
NZTS

Gary Roberts · Unread post by **Gary Roberts** » Fri 07/05/2004 00:05

So what are conditions like in Christchurch tonight John? Blowing strong and steady (westerly) down my way.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Fri 07/05/2004 08:30

Quite calm again this morning, sunny and mild. If there were any strong winds last night, I must've slept through them.

jeffsweather · Unread post by **jeffsweather** » Fri 07/05/2004 09:23

tich wrote:Quite calm again this morning, sunny and mild. If there were any strong winds last night, I must've slept through them.

Not much wind overnight, a gust to 30km/h about 12:30am and 20km/h gusts after that at my place.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Fri 07/05/2004 17:38

The wind freshened up again today, but not as strong as yesterday. In fact a plesantly sunny and mild day. Some interesting looking (but insignificant weatherwise) high clouds to the west though.

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Fri 07/05/2004 17:57

Been quite a nice day here with about 19c

Andy · Unread post by **Andy** » Fri 07/05/2004 18:21

Gusty westerly here

and top of 16, mild for may

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Fri 07/05/2004 19:27

Been a largely settled week in Auckland with Isolated showers, not that much wind, maybe 15knots at its wildest. Mild with a daily temp range 13-20C.

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Fri 07/05/2004 22:18

...though a very unsettled week down the road, heavy storm on tues morning, windy also, very heavy rain wednesday night. Showers today

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Sun 23/05/2004 11:16

They are here now SSW and look like going SW quick

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Sun 23/05/2004 16:07

No gales here. been fine, sthly 10kts, max 17C.

Should be fine tomorrow and Tuesday with showers possible from Wednesday.

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Sun 23/05/2004 18:39

They were here till about 3.30pm then died out,There were lots of fallen leaves too It didnt go SW luckily and it was sunny here all day though

NZstorm wrote:No gales here. been fine, sthly 10kts, max 17C.

Should be fine tomorrow and Tuesday with showers possible from Wednesday.

GraemeWi · Unread post by **GraemeWi** » Mon 24/05/2004 12:13

Michael wrote:They were here till about 3.30pm then died out,There were lots of fallen leaves too It didnt go SW luckily and it was sunny here all day though

Just out of interest, whats your definition of a gale? What number on the Beaufort scale?

Cheers,

G

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Mon 24/05/2004 19:14

Just about everything from the SSW or SW here are gales,the trees are always in constant motion.It feels like a 5 or 6

[quote="GraemeWi"Just out of interest, whats your definition of a gale? What number on the Beaufort scale?

Cheers,

G[/quote]

Manukau heads obs · Mon 24/05/2004 20:05

Situation: A low just west of the South Island is moving northeast to lie near Cape Reinga by midday Tuesday. An associated front is expected to lie about Manukau Heads by midnight tonight.

Should I stay up until midnight?
I feel so privaledged!

hey Michael, you should get a weather station, so then you know how the strong the wind actualy is....

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Mon 24/05/2004 23:09

[quote="Manukau heads observer"] Should I stay up until midnight?
I feel so privaledged!
quote]

I think it is spelt priviledged!

Living around the Auckland area IS a priviledged place to be as far as thunderstorms go. I don't know why as there is not much land up there?
Maybe it's because of that little interruption in the westerly flow that leads to instability up there??
...or thunderstorms seem to make a bee-line towards that aera?

JohnGaul
NZTS

Manukau heads obs · Tue 25/05/2004 06:08

6am here...
sat and rain radar does show an active cold front ....not far from us, off to the SW, but the animation seq shows its moving more NNE than NE, and so it will roll over the top of us here and auckland city...

Manukau heads obs · Tue 25/05/2004 06:38

raining here now
http://www.metservice.co.nz/radar/ak_18.asp

dang, thats a mean looking heavy rain line.....

i hope it moves off qucik,,,,we are shifting house today!

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Tue 25/05/2004 07:25

Steady rain here now with low cloud movement from the north.

Manukau heads obs · Tue 25/05/2004 07:34

looks like it is rolling over the top of me here.....we are going to miss the worst of it...

no lightning counts recorded....

its too much of a cold system for much thunder activity i would have thought

but the tasman sea is still warm...i was at the coast on sunday....it was surprisingly rough! (from the SW gales that we never got here from the last low)

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Tue 25/05/2004 08:02

Yucky rain here too not as good as last week

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Tue 25/05/2004 12:35

It's been a while but some interesting clouds outside at the moment. Will they go anywhere? not sure. Didn't bring my camera as I didn't expect this but instinct tells me nothing will happen. Good to see some cu forms though.

Cheers
Aaron Wilkinson

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Tue 25/05/2004 15:53

Aaron J Wilkinson wrote:It's been a while but some interesting clouds outside at the moment. Will they go anywhere? not sure. Didn't bring my camera as I didn't expect this but instinct tells me nothing will happen. Good to see some cu forms though.

Cheers
Aaron Wilkinson

Yes Aaron they were decent clouds, good to see after all that drizzly grey nimo-stratussy rubbish that have plagued our skies over the last couple of weeks.
However too anticyclonic for anything to happen, hence the dissipation.
Cold night tonight.

JohnGaul
NZTS

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Tue 25/05/2004 16:09

A cold showery day in Auckland with a max of just 12C.

As Brian suggested, a bit cold for thunder. Dewpoints around 10C. I like to see dewpoints 13C+ for decent thundery cb's.

Currently in Auckland, E10kts, Rain, 7/8 cb. Sperics but these will be from cloud out in the Hauraki Gulf.