Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

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spwill
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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by spwill »

Richard wrote: There is no comparison really as the Northern hemisphere doesn't have a massive icecap nearby .
It is hard to make comparisons as there are many factors that control climate. The northern hemisphere has much more landmass which cools down in winter and warms up in summer. Compare Toronto, Canada with Christchurch, similar latitudes. The waters around NZ greatly moderate our climate
tunster
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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by tunster »

Richard wrote:
spwill wrote:
Latitude being one climate control. For a fair comparison to the Auckland region you would have to find an island climate on a similar latitude. The Greek Islands get snow but they have the nearby land mass of Greece and Turkey.
There is no comparison really as the Northern hemisphere doesn't have a massive icecap nearby and a oceanic circulation like the roaring 40's.
Well the general idea is the NH has hotter summers and colder winters, but that obviously doesn't work everywhere.

I'm not aware of anywhere in Australia that gets average maxima of 40C in any month, but there are many places in the Northern Hemisphere that manage this or get very close (eg Delhi (30N) in late Spring/early Summer before monsoon).

As for comparisons with Mediterranean locations, they usually are mild in winter, fairly similar to NZ locations on comparable latitudes.
Seville (~37N) is not too far inland (about 70km) yet has hotter, drier summers than Perth (~32S) and winters that are roughly similar to Sydney (~33S).

Island comparison, Mallorca (~39N) had significant snow in Spring a few years ago, I think to sea level.
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Richard
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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by Richard »

tunster wrote: I'm not aware of anywhere in Australia that gets average maxima of 40C in any month,but there are many places in the Northern Hemisphere that manage this or get very close (eg Delhi (30N) in late Spring/early Summer before monsoon).
The arrival of the Monsoon for New Delhi seems to becoming earlier each year and as i'm aware i dont think they have been over 40C because of this.

This thread's starting to go a bit sideways, :-k
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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by tich »

I wonder if snow from this last event is still lying at unusually low levels in the central and southern North Island in patches. I believe there was still alot down below Mt Taranaki a few days ago.
Down here, there was still patchy snow in Chch yesterday, and hills around Akaroa still have quite abit above about 200-300m. (odd bit lower down in the shade)
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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by NZ Thunderstorm Soc »

Last patch of snow around here disappeared today. The frost of the past 2 mornings maintained a couple of patches until this afternoon. There is still some snow in shelterted bits around St. John of God hospital in Halswell.



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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by tgsnoopy »

A friend put up these photo's of snow around Masterton:

http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/7828033/ ... w?h=da3b57
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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by Michael »

Heres one I saw in Taranaki on monday.
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tich
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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by tich »

The last place you think in NZ that get possibly get snow, even if only a very light flurry. Shows how extreme the cold outbreak was.

http://www.whakatanebeacon.co.nz/cms/ne ... 09903.php/
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Re: Widespread Snow Event 14th-17th Aug

Unread post by Nev »

May as well also post this story for posterity.
Sorry, don't have a direct link, so hope Stuff don't mind if I reproduce the entire story... ;-)
'Snow flurry doesn't settle' - Waiheke Marketplace
August 17, 2011

The arctic blast [sic] that brought the first snow to Auckland since 1939 also caused a short flurry across Waiheke after gale force winds on Sunday night and Monday morning brought down trees and power lines.

Builders and handymen with chainsaws were out in force clearing roads and Chorus engineers were called out to a power pole that fell across Cory Rd. Man O' War, Waiheke and Bay roads all had fallen trees and large branches that delayed early morning commuters.

But it was on Monday afternoon that the wild weather caused wonderment when Oneroa workers dashed outside to watch flakes of snow fall that didn't settle and quickly turned to rain.

Residents also reported the short snow burst in Enclosure Bay, Pacific Parade and Matiatia, where a man waked into the rental car office with snow flakes on his shoulders. In Onetangi, some residents reported a short flurry in the early evening.

© 2011 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
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