Q's and A's

shovelopikis · Unread post by **shovelopikis** » Thu 04/12/2014 13:44

quick little topic about my small questions and other peoples questions if any about anything weather related that dont deserve there own topic, considering members will be of various ages, knowledge, and from many unique pockets of NZ

My first ones being (and have tried asking this before but never got a decent response)
-has there ever been a prolonged event of preasure systems moving in from the east? (not troughs or wind, but our general pressure flows from the west altered)

also, has there ever been a significant snow event for westland? sea level?

cheers

Razor · Unread post by **Razor** » Thu 04/12/2014 14:17

There was this one a couple fo years ago...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10815853

Manukau heads obs · Thu 04/12/2014 14:55

La Nina's generally bring more lows from the north, i.e more easterly winds...
is that what you are thinking?
the summer of 89 saw alot of NE and east winds over the upper NI

melja · Unread post by **melja** » Thu 04/12/2014 17:31

I think what he mean is has the usual pattern of the weather moving west to east that we get in this part of the world ever changed to east-west and not just a local pattern but as in the whole global flow.

Manukau heads obs · Thu 04/12/2014 17:33

you do get what is known as negative index where you can get highs in the southern ocean and lows to the north of them...

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Thu 04/12/2014 19:57

shovelopikis wrote:
My first ones being (and have tried asking this before but never got a decent response)
-has there ever been a prolonged event of preasure systems moving in from the east? (not troughs or wind, but our general pressure flows from the west altered)

The short answer is no. NZ's latitude puts it in the mid latitude westerly belt and that can't be reversed.

The long answer would expand on what Brian has said. You can get a blocking pattern were regionally weather can come from untypical directions for a while.

shovelopikis · Unread post by **shovelopikis** » Thu 04/12/2014 22:43

NZstorm wrote:
shovelopikis wrote:
My first ones being (and have tried asking this before but never got a decent response)
-has there ever been a prolonged event of preasure systems moving in from the east? (not troughs or wind, but our general pressure flows from the west altered)

The short answer is no. NZ's latitude puts it in the mid latitude westerly belt and that can't be reversed.

The long answer would expand on what Brian has said. You can get a blocking pattern were regionally weather can come from untypical directions for a while.

yeah this pattern is correct (in previous posts here) we do get 95% from west, rarely TC from north or big chill surge from south, but never had i seen one push from the east

shovelopikis · Unread post by **shovelopikis** » Sat 06/12/2014 09:27

where would the most CG thunderstorm activity occur in NZ?
westland gets thundery, but not as much lightning action as other areas.

Orion · Unread post by **Orion** » Sat 06/12/2014 13:14

I have a question about tornadoes: from this http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/assets/ ... nadoes.pdf

under "Warning Signs of a Tornado" on page 8, it includes
"At night, small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm" -

What would cause those, do you suppose?

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Sat 06/12/2014 13:26

Orion wrote:I have a question about tornadoes: from this http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/assets/ ... nadoes.pdf

under "Warning Signs of a Tornado" on page 8, it includes
"At night, small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm" -

What would cause those, do you suppose?

Electricity supply being taken out such as power lines.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Fri 12/12/2014 16:44

shovelopikis wrote:where would the most CG thunderstorm activity occur in NZ?
westland gets thundery, but not as much lightning action as other areas.

It will be the Alps/West Coast of the South Island. The CG lightning can be hidden in mist/rain.

Waikato/Waitomo has a high count by NZ standards simply because storms can occur there all year round.

shovelopikis · Unread post by **shovelopikis** » Tue 16/12/2014 08:08

NZstorm wrote:
shovelopikis wrote:where would the most CG thunderstorm activity occur in NZ?
westland gets thundery, but not as much lightning action as other areas.
It will be the Alps/West Coast of the South Island. The CG lightning can be hidden in mist/rain.

Waikato/Waitomo has a high count by NZ standards simply because storms can occur there all year round.

waikato/king country would have most convective storms, or would that be more canterbury?

shovelopikis · Unread post by **shovelopikis** » Sat 20/12/2014 13:33

what makes Otira a geographic mention in weather reposrts? eg "heavy rain north / or south of Otira" when describing weather events in westland

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Sun 21/12/2014 17:06

dunno?

melja · Unread post by **melja** » Mon 22/12/2014 10:17

Because Otira is the northern boundary of Westland and most rain warning are for the inland mountains so little use saying kumara which is also the northern boundary but on the coast.

Dale · Unread post by **Dale** » Mon 22/12/2014 10:28

Always wondered that myself.. makes sense. Although Westland/West Coast is right up to Karamea? Or does that come under Buller/Tasman....?

Can vouch for the thunderdays here, we have had it pretty darn good the last month or 2.

melja · Unread post by **melja** » Mon 22/12/2014 12:16

West coast is made of half westland and half buller.

shovelopikis · Unread post by **shovelopikis** » Mon 22/12/2014 13:10

But Buller is a district, and westland is a province...which raises another question, in forecasts, provinces are always mentioned, except i always see buller and waitomo mentioned when warnings/watches in place for that region even though they are districts really.

melja · Unread post by **melja** » Mon 22/12/2014 21:42

Whats the difference? they are both district as in buller district council and westland district council.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Mon 22/12/2014 21:49

I think that Otira is a halfway point betwixt the northern tip of the west coast of the South Island and the southern tip, maybe? I have heard MetService use Arthur's Pass as well but not as much as Otira.

Nev · Unread post by **Nev** » Tue 23/12/2014 06:53

melja wrote:West coast is made of half westland and half buller.

And half Grey (district).

melja · Unread post by **melja** » Tue 23/12/2014 10:06

yes your right

Dale · Unread post by **Dale** » Tue 23/12/2014 12:08

Just guessing Otira is a blanket border... funny considering Arthurs is only a few minutes up the road.
Either way. it doesn't mean much here on the coast as it can be absolutely hosing down in the alps and we get nothing at all.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Wed 14/01/2015 23:01

Why is it sometimes we get totally fine day with a NW-ster and other days there is an phenomena called the "NW Arch" with a thick high cloud cover, over the plains?

Richard · Unread post by **Richard** » Thu 15/01/2015 05:47

NZ Thunderstorm Soc wrote:Why is it sometimes we get totally fine day with a NW-ster and other days there is an phenomena called the "NW Arch" with a thick high cloud cover, over the plains?

Yes and those arches are normally present in the early stages of a NW wind flow,and not just over the plains either John,they can run the length of the South Island

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