TC Wilma affecting N.I. - Jan 28-29

[ScottyD]

Whoever is on Newstalk ZB just dismissed it as an event that is 'going to pass over quickly"

Yeah, it may pass quickly, but it's going to leave one hell of a mess in it's wake. I think that's why the media have down played it a bit.

[Philip Duncan]

Hey Razor I only ONCE caused an Earthquake... and ok, so I wrote a blog in the Herald 3 weeks ago saying it's been 14 years since we had a tropical cyclone and we're overdue for one.... *cough*

[Razor]

Hey Razor I only ONCE caused an Earthquake... and ok, so I wrote a blog in the Herald 3 weeks ago saying it's been 14 years since we had a tropical cyclone and we're overdue for one.... *cough*

All good Phil

As an aside though, both the major talkback stations didn't even mention this storm in their news bulletins at midnight.

Are we overplaying this or is the media as deplorable as I suspect?????- ie if its not affecting a major city its not news?

Going by some of the comments on weatherwatch some Northland folk are getting keen on hearing actual info on whats going on, surely they don't have to rely on the interent????

[bmo]

I'm going insane by the fire sirens going off i nt eh distance!

[Manukau heads obs]

still up
latest GMS sat image at midnight shows rapid cooling aloft of the cloud sheet over the upper NI
the sat has done one of its jogs to , so makes as look as if Wilma tracked more S again.....
does show more banding occuring....looks like Wilma is going through ET transition a bit more now
that might explain why the barometer is dropping faster here now....as it spreads out a bit
that will also cause it too rain out more too I would guess
rain rate increasing here!

[ScottyD]

Have you got a link for that sat image brian?

[Brassnz]

It certainly feels as if the rain rate has increased here in the last hour or so.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/Mess ... 4&topic=23

some amazing pics posted on here showing chaos in Whangarei!

[bmo]

Barometer at 1001.9hpa last half hour rain: 10.8mm

[Nev]

Hey Razor I only ONCE caused an Earthquake... and ok, so I wrote a blog in the Herald 3 weeks ago saying it's been 14 years since we had a tropical cyclone and we're overdue for one.... *cough*

Except that Fergus and Drena were both extra-tropical cyclones by the time they arrived here.

120mm here now

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Whangarei has hit 200mm now!

[ScottyD]

Reading the reports on WW and it seems as though it's pretty serious up in the north. Lots of flooding. It's not going to be a very nice night for some.

[David]

seems to have eased a little here. Breezy SSE has moved in.

[bmo]

Barometer is on 1000.5hpa and rain rate just got to 20mm/hr

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Whangarei 212mm now! 1am radar still very solid over that area!

[Philip Duncan]

Hey Razor I only ONCE caused an Earthquake... and ok, so I wrote a blog in the Herald 3 weeks ago saying it's been 14 years since we had a tropical cyclone and we're overdue for one.... *cough*

Except that Fergus and Drena were both extra-tropical cyclones by the time they arrived here.

120mm here now

I realise that yet no one ever refers to them as ex-tropical cyclones because that is a technicality. They were still cyclones.

[bmo]

Very thick rain drops now here and the wind is incresing barometer at 999.1hpa

[bmo]

NZTA-
Flooding: Due To Severe Weather Conditions And Road Flooding, State Highway 1 North Of Warkworth Is Now Closed, With No Access To Northland. Avoid This Area.

Must be very serious up there!

[Avalanche]

Well good evening folks well maybe not a good evening for Northland by the sounds of things , i have just finished work an reading the forum been very enlightening reading the event unfold. Sounds crazy . I just listened to the 1am news on NewstalkZB umm yea what are they doing some Heavy rain an wind are affecting the country an that was pretty much it . I would say they are probably getting all the news organised for the 5 or 6am report.

[jamie]

oh dear this is looking horrible!

[jamie]

o wow fantastic radar image and loop at the moment. can clearly see the centre.

[bmo]

I really hope that everyone in Northland is safe.
"Flooded
We are family of 5 and 1 dog... We are on loop road, Otaika Valley, Whangarei, our house up to our knees in water and outside is a fast moving torrent. We are stuck, but ok for now. A little concerned that tide is peaking at 4am, and cyclone hasn't even reached us here yet. Have called fire brigade few times to come get us, but they very busy with worse hit houses on same street. We have no power and candles running out soon. Thank goodness for the iPad."--Weatherwatch.

[bmo]

You can clearly see the rain in the street lights here.
http://www.trafficnz.info/camera/120.jpg?1296224368793

[Willoughby]

Look at all that strong convection over the upper NI!! Incredible!! I've added some sat pics here for posterity.

[tgsnoopy]

Getting flogged here. Unfortunately Kaimaikids weather station appears to be full of cobwebs and isn't registering any rain. In my experience the rainfall rate here would have a typical background rate of about 20mm/hr and be peaking right up there in the 80-100mm/hr rate in short sharp waves.

So far the flood mitigation measures here have held up ok, but I'm worried this thing may have a sting in it's tail as it seems almost to be coming straight at us. It's a significant enough event, that I'd be out there... If I didn't have the risk of being flooded here at home.

It's not as consistently heavy as our late May 05 event, but at times is easily exceeding that rate for short bursts.

Our saviour this time is no doubt the council bolting down the lid of the stormwater manhole cover on the property above us combined with Lemon Grove Ave now being on piped stormwater drains rather than the original soakholes they had water draining into.

Just eased up for a little while, I hope it holds up. If the 4am radar looks ok, I'm off to bed.