Thunderstorms - 14th - 18th December, 2013

[GreggWard]

Awesome photos. Well done.

That second to last photo looks amazing. Was that shot taken from the northern side of the storm?

[Orion]

Gosh, that thing looked ugly enough on radar! Very good photos!

[mikestormchaser]

i have never seen a 'high' risk of SEVERE thunderstorms in place before, thats what MS have up for canterbury tomorrow.
I do see the shear tomorrow isnt as great but still good! and onshore winds will help rotation when storms fire up.

[Weather Watcher]

Beautiful photos Aaron. Well done.

[Weather Watcher]

i have never seen a 'high' risk of SEVERE thunderstorms in place before, thats what MS have up for canterbury tomorrow.

Regarding the 'high risk of severe' tomorrow, we're trying to keep the chart simple and clean, but it means a high risk of thunderstorms with a moderate risk of severe. Main threat area is eastern Otago, but severe storms still possible over Mid/South Canterbury.

[Chris Raine]

We have issued an advice from Waitaki Emergency Management to North Otago communities for the forecasted storms tomorrow and mitigatory actions they need to take to stay safe . After last nights storm the torrential rain and flash flooding although spectacular caused no issues

[NZstorm]

Large thunderstorms have popped up over Northland. Can also see cb to far east from here in Grey lynn.

[Thunder]

Cool! Thanks guys, am glad I could do this storm some justice.

Yes Greg, that 2nd to last photo was shot on the northern side of the storm. TVNZ picked up some footage of that exact part of the storm so might appear on tv one news tonight. Took it with my 5D MkII so is HD footage.

Interesting thing with all the storms yesterday was there was hardly any CG's, most of the lightning was up in the clouds. At some points you could hear continuous thunder rumbling away. I figure I was lucky to get that first bolt, I did see a dog leg type Cg about the time I shot that last funnel but alas, my camera sat there and did nothing, trigger didn't go off.

[spwill]

Well done Aaron

Russell webcam for today
http://www.takeabreak.co.nz/accommodation/russell.asp

[Lukemyster]

here are two videos i got last night (1-3am) on my way home from work and at home in new brighton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-h1NeNT6nU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4yotTIHQzY

[jamie]

Interesting thing with all the storms yesterday was there was hardly any CG's, most of the lightning was up in the clouds. At some points you could hear continuous thunder rumbling away. I figure I was lucky to get that first bolt, I did see a dog leg type Cg about the time I shot that last funnel but alas, my camera sat there and did nothing, trigger didn't go off.

Are you sure it wasnt hail roar? Where the hail is held aloft and smashing into each other.

The lack of lightning on tornadic storms is something ive noticed in the USA. Often the storm that drops the tornado has, weirdly, very little lightning.

[Manukau heads obs]

flights ackl to chch are like 215 $ each way at the moment...peak time I guess...

[03Stormchaser]

Just an insight into the reach Storm Chasers on Facebook. When we first shared Metservices Severe Thunderstorm Warning yesterday it was shared 258 times and viewed over 23,000 times! Pretty amazing the reach FB generates!

[jamie]

I can see an atomic bomb looking cb to my south. Must be beyond Taupo after looking at the radar

[Storm Struck]

Just a few photos from yesterday we were constantly on the move trying to get ahead of the storm, but cool none the less I will put the video of the funnel cloud up soon just got to get it onto you tube.

IMG_2010 (640x427).jpg

IMG_2011 (640x427).jpg

[Thunder]

Interesting thing with all the storms yesterday was there was hardly any CG's, most of the lightning was up in the clouds. At some points you could hear continuous thunder rumbling away. I figure I was lucky to get that first bolt, I did see a dog leg type Cg about the time I shot that last funnel but alas, my camera sat there and did nothing, trigger didn't go off.

Are you sure it wasnt hail roar? Where the hail is held aloft and smashing into each other.

The lack of lightning on tornadic storms is something ive noticed in the USA. Often the storm that drops the tornado has, weirdly, very little lightning.

Can't say I know exactly what the hail roaring sound is like but this definately sounded like thunder. I've got video of it with it rumlbing away, it's got that thunder sound if that makes any sense.

Interesting that re the no lightning. Hmmm.

Video footage here for anyone who wants to watch it:

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/freak-h ... eo-5781119

[jamie]

Yea the hail roar sounds like distant thunder that just doesn't stop. It doesn't change in sound very quickly like thunder. First time I heard it I thought it was constant thunder but it was the hail.

[Richard]

Thats interesting about this hail roar,having lived in a urban area and heard the roar of hail thinking it was just the sound of it hitting the roofs of houses,now i live rural and there's next to no houses nearby you can still get that same noise even though it may only be pea sized hail

[Manukau heads obs]

great video footage on TV1 (see the link above)
well done!

[NZstorm]

Great footage there.

Just to put a perspective on tomorrows set up. The thunderstorm risk is 100% but the supercell/severe hail risk is a lot lower. All the elements will be there for an isolated supercell, you just need to get them overlapping.

[Storm Struck]

The roar of hail is a different sound to the thunder heard yesterday, ive heard hailstorms in the distance before and I can compare the sound to that of a big rush of wind coming like 100kmh winds on the trees or a freight train.
The thunder yesterday was constantly dumping big loud long thuds, reminding me of the elevated lightning type we had back in September/October so perhaps this could explain why the lightning was not so visable because of that upper jet dragging the instability higher up where IC and CC bolts could travel.

[Manukau heads obs]

the CB's we had here on sunday had constant thunder...was lightning in the anvil
maybe the same thing was happening

[tgsnoopy]

The lack of lightning on tornadic storms is something ive noticed in the USA. Often the storm that drops the tornado has, weirdly, very little lightning.

Agreed, seemed to go lightning active after the tornado cycle. Rozell in Kansas was a good example of this, the lights show on dusk was spectacular. Lightning prior was rare.

[NZstorm]

The US chasers call the upper level lightning 'anvil zits'.

[David]

the CB's we had here on sunday had constant thunder...was lightning in the anvil
maybe the same thing was happening

Interestingly, the storm that affected Howick on Sunday flung out CG after CG. Never seen so many in one storm.