Thunderstorms - 14th - 18th December, 2013

[Razor]

Massive black wall approaching me from Sw as i run home thru hoon hay

[03Stormchaser]

Just out of leeston we had continous thunder for about 30min, appears to be weakening though

[dogmelon]

The anti-storm void that is chc strikes again...

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Can hear the thunder in the distance now.

[Razor]

Lightning and thunder at pioneer stadium

[melja]

Looks to be some new development on the radar further inland now on the change, will see if it comes to anything.

[Kieran]

(Long time reader, just opened an account today) - lightning out over Prebbleton, looking very dark out west now

[Lawrence]

Good bit of lightening and thunder here in Rolleston.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Its dying off big time on the radar now. No doubt it will completely fade to a bit of light rain by the time it gets here.

Much of that is due to the cell moving into the 'cone of silence' above the radar site, combined with strong attenuation of the beam along the change line to the E/SE.

For info, the estimated hail size based on radar imagery was 2-3cm+ as it moved east of Ashburton near/over the coast.

Seems you were right, although its not definitely dying off, all the purple almost gone.

[Dean.]

I like the southerly buster photo by Deano. Awesome!

Thanks!
Radar looking great for Banks Pensinsula...Little River way!

[dogmelon]

Lame, storms always die without fail at that exact point at the Rakaia River.

[Lawrence]

I like the southerly buster photo by Deano. Awesome!

Thanks!
Radar looking great for Banks Pensinsula...Little River way!

Yeah, Skirted Rolleston again, seems to be heading towards Banks out east Winds picked up and turned southerly now.

[Orion]

(Long time reader, just opened an account today) - lightning out over Prebbleton, looking very dark out west now

Welcome, Kieran !

[ChrisN]

Original cell with change moving over city has weakened - warning now focused on main storm cell approaching Banks Peninsula... Change looks good for squally gusts with rain and perhaps small hail across Chch.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Some lightning flashing away to the SW of here from about 7:30pm onwards. Seemed to stopped now.
Lightning away from the main core of the dark cloud.

[Lawrence]

Moderate rainfall here now

[Kieran]

Rain just starting in Hornby, nice gust front coming through!

[Roseo]

Big drops of rain and wind change here in Sydenham. No lightning or thunder seen or heard yet, but can see big front moving its way towards us from banks peninsula

[Classicford]

See that too roseo

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

A few spits here but all over bar the shouting, sadly.
Southerly here, although light, but much cooler.
Sky still heavily unstable looking so might get shower or two later.

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

Seemed there was only those 2 cells north of Ashburton. Bit of an anti-climax really north of there for a high risk area. Areas of Eastern Otago doing much better. Shower activity now returning to Oamaru area.

[joecam]

Went for a Tiki Tour to Dundsandel to film a bit. Unfortunately it won't make any news. But here's a pic from my cellphone camera. I made it look better with Photoshop

[Skywatcher]

Also went a tour First out towards the western storm then through Dunsandel to Alexanders Rd (I think) near Southbridge. Non-stop thunder at one point with IC lighting every few seconds but only saw one CG. Rain arrived with strong winds so headed to Leeston but eventually gave up trying to keep ahead of it.

[Orion]

Good photos!
I notice that most of the photos pick up the golden-brownish cast of the cloud which I observed.

[Captain Salty]

there is currently a loose ring of low cloud moving in a clockwise direction, underneath higher cloud and against the southerly wind