Just arrived home after driving from Taihape and on the trip we saw flashes of light that we couldn't explain. First one was on the windy part of SH1 around lake Taupo. There was a flash of light low on the horizon right above Taupo city lights. The next one was as we left Taupo towards Tokoroa. Again a flash of light low to the horizon in the north sky. The third one as just before we arrived in Putaruru. Again all the same look. This on looked like it was over the Mamaku or kaimai ranges.
Anyone got any idea what they would have been. Not thinking lightning as there is nothing around. Plus it was more like a camera flash going off than lightning. Just one big flash then nothing.
The flashes were flat and narrow but very long distance across the horizon. Maybe 10-20 degrees off the horizon.
Nev wrote:Reports of an apparent 'twister' in Tuapiro Rd, Tahawai, just north of Katikati in the western BoP just after 4.30pm on Friday. It's said to have pulled tiles off roofs and ripped trees from the ground…
Thanks for the report Nev. The media are using strong language to what looks to be a fairly minor event.
I had a look back and the front was crossing with NNE winds backing NW in the area at 4.30pm.
Yep, agree. The damaged property(s) are more or less at the NE end of Tuapiro Point, which juts out into the harbour and is very flat, shallow and exposed. So a small waterspout wouldn't be out of the question.
Its nice to see a high coming in for the end of the week/weekend. Spring is here.
Convergence showers over Northland this morning will come south and give Auckland a wet spell this evening. Heavy precip possible. I think we could get 10-15mm.
Front tomorrow looks most active south of Auckland with Isolated thunder. Northern Taranaki could catch a brief tornado, not out of the question.
Richard wrote:Not good to see a high coming in for the end of the week/weekend we so need rain
I spent some time with a farmer just outside of Darfield on the weekend Richard who said the last thing he needs now is more rain - they've had more then enough the last few months. Incredible how different peoples situations can be just 100km further north!!
Very much so, he's had over 400mm so far this year and now needs a week of no rain and mid teens he said would be perfect for all the sheep giving birth...he's actually got the opposite problem of alot of other farmers in south and north Canterbury and his ewes are too fat from all the grass he has growing and getting stuck on their back and dying! I asked him if he was afraid of the coming el-nino inspired summer and interestingly he said no - he can handle no rain fine and in fact his farm needs those hot temps and periods of no rain! Very interesting ride around I had with him...he is basically the only farmer within 10square km who didn't convert to dairy, obviously now he is glad he didn't!
Valid to: Midnight Wednesday 19 Aug 2015
Issued at: 9:17am Wednesday 19 Aug 2015
An active front lying just to the west of the North Island this morning, is expected to move across the North Island to clear East Cape by early evening. At midday the front is expected to lie from central Northland to just west of Auckland City to the Kapiti Coast and by 6pm from north to south over the Hicks Bay area.
There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms with the front over north Taranaki,Waitomo, in the west and north of Waikato, Auckland, Northland much of the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne with the timing as above. This feature has the potential to produce locally heavy rain of 10-20mm/hr, hail of 5-15mm, wind gusts of 90-100km/hr and small tornadoes,especially in coastal areas.
Over the rest of the North Island, there is a general low risk of thunderstorms as the front moves over.
In the South Island, another active cold front is expected to move from southern Fiordland from about mid afternoon to lie over northern Westland by midnight.There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms with this front this afternoon and evening over Westland, Fiordland and about the Foveaux Strait area. These may support locally heavy rain, hail and wind gusts to 100km/hr.
Elsewhere, no thunderstorms or significant convection expected.
MetService T-storm Outlook map for Aug 19.png
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looks like a heavy rain line went through from Piha to Karaka (the higher ground of the Waitaks blocked the signal at one stage though and so it looked like that line weakened)
Heading down to Ruapehu for a week this Sunday for some Snowboarding. Models are suggesting a pretty average week with strong wind/rain although we are still quite far out. Anyone like to add their input?
Grey Lynn got 3.6mm off yesterdays front which is what the gfs was modelling. 115mm for the month but the good news is the pattern looks a lot drier now for the rest of August.
,but there were some damaging hail events in that event as well 
we so need rain
