Thunderstorms- 16-17th December, North Island

[tgsnoopy]

Drove SH36 to Rotorua and then SH5 Towards Putaruru, coming back on SH29 over the Kaimai's when it reopened.

Extreme rain event from Haumurana to Ngongotaha on SH36, serious flooding between Ngongotaha & Rotorua.

No sign of any thunderstorm, just lots of rain.

[NZstorm]

Looked to be a good rain event but weak on storm activity.

Looking forward to the next weeks high/sunny weather. Time for a bit of summer.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

I see Tim has had 50mm now at his Matangi Station.

[Tornado Tim]

Yup the rain isnt budging here, been raining since 3.30 PM. Some periods have been quite heavy.

[jamie]

Drove SH36 to Rotorua and then SH5 Towards Putaruru, coming back on SH29 over the Kaimai's when it reopened.

Extreme rain event from Haumurana to Ngongotaha on SH36, serious flooding between Ngongotaha & Rotorua.

No sign of any thunderstorm, just lots of rain.

why were the kaimais shut?

[jamie]

wow so you have had twice as much as i have thi safternoon tim. It doesnt suprise me though. The real heavy stuff has been a bit hit and miss. i do see you have had 40mm more than i have this month. so 25mm of that is today but i wonder when the other 15mm your up by happened.

Still raining here. Rain coming in from the NE on the radar so if im thinking right it will keep raining for a while yet until the low drags the rain back towards the N as it moves out the the NE of the North Island

[Thunder]

Great stuff guys! Something to keep us entertained in the stormless south Went out for some dinner with Jason and Mikey from down here, watched a few of Jason's storms videos from the past. Was good, something to do.

[jamie]

This rain is incredible. Still pounding down. Ive never seem it so stationary and yet consistently develop over the same spot for so long.

[jamie]

Could someone please explain how this is happening. Is it a convergence zone between a southerly and northerly ?

[Manukau heads obs]

just checking in now....gobsmacked to see the same rain band in the exact same place!

[jamie]

Thanks brian. It's slowed down here but thats only because we are on the very edge. Look at my total compared to Tim. Tim is in the thick of it and Ive been on the edge all night. I think I might get another 10mm quite easily but I'd think tim could get another 30mm.

[Tornado Tim]

Yes the rain hasn't stopped at all, had a brief very light period around midnight then it started up again.....

Sat Image/Vapor Image shows that its convergence in some respect , but i think its to with the incoming moisture from what the low dragged in.
If you look at the Radar Image looper you can see all of these showers coming in from the NE and then feed the trough.

[tgsnoopy]

The Kaimai's were closed due to a genius truck driver with a tank full of tallow leaving the top undone and it leaking out all the way up the Waikato side. It's a dangerous slippery mess, covered in grit it's now a single lane with a speed limit of 30km/hr. Will take ages to fix (talk of a truck that burns off the top layer of tar being used to burn it off).

December 17, 2011, 11:04 am

Western Bay of Plenty Police are advising that SH29 across the Kaimai's has been closed due to contamination of the road surface. A truck transiting the road has deposited tallow along the road and the road surface is now extremely slippery to the point that vehicles can no longer use the road safely.

The road is closed between Poripori Road on the Tauranga side and Rapurapu Road on the Matamata side. The only alternative routes available are through Waihi, SH2 through Te Puke to Rotorua, or SH36 through Pyes Pa to Rotorua.

Crews are working to clean the road surface and the road will be re-opened as soon as possible but at this time Police cannot give an indication as to when that might be.

[Tornado Tim]

Rain has cleared up a bit with the trough weakening a bit, 80.8mm of Rain over 2 days, not bad eh!
I see Hamilton AWS had a similar amount to me yesterday: 49.6mm

[Willoughby]

Nice photos there Jamie and Tim!!

[Manukau heads obs]

easterly wind picking up alot here now in the Eastern BOP
will blow all the rain north soon ....

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

The Kaimai's were closed due to a genius truck driver with a tank full of tallow leaving the top undone and it leaking out all the way up the Waikato side. It's a dangerous slippery mess, covered in grit it's now a single lane with a speed limit of 30km/hr. Will take ages to fix (talk of a truck that burns off the top layer of tar being used to burn it off).

You would think that all the rain that you guys had up there it would of washed the tallow away!
Anyway, should of gone by rail

[tgsnoopy]

I think the tallow was warm/hot & liquid... The rain cooled it & it turned solid & super slippery. It's not something rain can wash away.

[spwill]

I see a thunderstorm has developed over the hill country north of the Bay of Islands, Northland.

[Manukau heads obs]

I could see the CB tops over the waikato/coromandel yesterday as we drove up towards east cape
very much an upper level trough

[Tornado Tim]

I could see the CB tops over the waikato/coromandel yesterday as wel drove up towards east cape

If you were under it you would have thought it was a cold front it was that featureless.

[Manukau heads obs]

despite the strong surface easterly yesterday, the upper level clouds were very slow moving...

[Vertigo]

i was fairly certain i saw two flashes out to the NW of auckland last night around 11pm

[spwill]

i was fairly certain i saw two flashes out to the NW of auckland last night around 11pm

Yes there were a few overnight thunderstorms North Auckland / Northland.

Cool upper level conditions over NZ this week but I think moisture levels are looking too low for storms.