NZ Weather Forum

There has been an upswing in tornado occurrence in NZ according to a NIWA scientist.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=11130136

Enjoyed the read, would be good to hear him speak.

Yes, saw the article on WeatherWatch.
Mind you since people have been aware of Storm-Chasers, and the like, more observations of tornado events have been occurring , so more reports coming in.

The author is suggesting that the 1950's,60's had events recorded at a similar incidence to today but the 80's and 90's quiet.

The bulk of NZ tornadoes occur April to October in weather systems that bring subtropical moisture in from the north Tasman. By subtropical moisture I mean dewpoints of 13C +.
The Canterbury/Otago events are very different and occur when very cold upper air advects in during summer, the dp's are typically 10C.

the 80's and 90's had alot of el ninos years
with less low's from the north bringing down high DP ....that would be one reason....yes?

I remember reports of some sort of funnel-clouds over the Manukau Harbour - Onehunga - Ellerslie areas, back in the late '50s-mid '60s.
I don't recall them being called "tornadoes" then however: just can't recollect what term was used in the reports in the Auckland Star...

Manukau heads obs wrote:the 80's and 90's had alot of el ninos years
with less low's from the north bringing down high DP ....that would be one reason....yes?

I suspect the link between tornadoes and El Nino/La Nina is not that strong. But I think strong events of either would not favour tornadoes.

If they didn't say that the tornados are at similar levels to mid century then I would be questioning the report. People are far more aware as to what to look for and people like ourselfs actually going looking for them. There is also the fact we are forever becoming a larger population which means more chance of a tornado striking property. It however in saying that, with such broad open spaces in this country I do wonder if its just chance that they have been hitting urbanised areas currently and previously mid century.