Snow to low levels in the South

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Tue 10/08/2004 09:31

In Queenstown.

Snow is falling to low levels on the Mnts here this morning with the solid precip level about 100m above the town.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 10/08/2004 10:08

Snow is forecast to 400 metres in the south. It's also been snowing at Arthur's Pass according to the AA Report, but this is a cold westerly not a southerly - it's sunny and mild in Chch. Westland must be pretty cold and wet though - 4C at Haast and 6C in Greymouth at 9AM.

Gary Roberts · Unread post by **Gary Roberts** » Tue 10/08/2004 10:24

tich wrote:Snow is forecast to 400 metres in the south. It's also been snowing at Arthur's Pass according to the AA Report, but this is a cold westerly not a southerly - it's sunny and mild in Chch. Westland must be pretty cold and wet though - 4C at Haast and 6C in Greymouth at 9AM.

A beautiful day here in the high country. Not a cloud to be seen, and fast approaching 10Â°.

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Tue 10/08/2004 12:34

On Coronet Peak.

Very heavy snow up here all morning making the skiing hard.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 10/08/2004 14:40

Only 0.4C in Queenstown in Noon obs, so quite probably snowing there in the town.

A beautiful day here in the high country. Not a cloud to be seen, and fast approaching 10Â°.

4.3C at Tara Hills at Noon - is that near you Gary? By contrast a mild and sunny (some areas of high cloud now) 14C in Chch, so the Alps are doing a good job in protecting Canterbury from the cold (7-9C) of Westland today.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Tue 10/08/2004 15:44

The freezing level at Invercargill today looked to be around 400m. I think thats the lowest I've seen it down there this winter.

Gary Roberts · Unread post by **Gary Roberts** » Tue 10/08/2004 15:48

tich wrote:4.3C at Tara Hills at Noon - is that near you Gary? By contrast a mild and sunny (some areas of high cloud now) 14C in Chch, so the Alps are doing a good job in protecting Canterbury from the cold (7-9C) of Westland today.

It's around 1 Km SW of me. We did get some snow eventually, but not a lot. Seemed to be shaping-up for a big fall, with some large fluffies dropping fast, but then it turned to sleet, and fizzled out altogether not long after. Nice and sunny here again now. And that folks was winter.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Tue 10/08/2004 17:36

And that folks was winter.

Weather today moving west to east, and not all that moist, hence not suprised Omarama did'nt get much precip. Anyway, enjoy the end of winter while it lasts Gary.

Andy · Unread post by **Andy** » Tue 10/08/2004 17:54

Started raining in Queenstown around 10am and turn to snow around 11, from what was said only the radio. Some roads were closed briefly and chains were required on others.

Some brief spill over shower active did make it to Alex, with some sleet but not enough to measure in the rain gage.

Snow did fall lightly down to around 400-500m on the mountains and in the upper Manuherikia valley.

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Tue 10/08/2004 17:57

The solid precipitation level lowered into Queenstown around mid morning but the snow in Town was wet and only a small amount settled there while locations higher up like Arrowtown got more. I spent a good part of the day on Coronet Peak and the snow up there was heavy and I think about 20cm + fell. The snow cleared mid afternoon to a fine Evening.

Fujita Phil · Unread post by **Fujita Phil** » Tue 10/08/2004 20:23

We had a small burst of sleet in the higher suburbs about 2.30pm as the temperature dropped. Soon cleared though

Andy · Unread post by **Andy** » Wed 11/08/2004 07:35

Light dusting of snow overnight

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Wed 11/08/2004 09:12

Snowed here in Queenstown again in the early hours.

Snow is lying in town.

2cm at lake level and 4cm on higher parts of town away from the Lake.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Wed 11/08/2004 09:25

Cold front and wintry change has hit Chch withing the last 1/2 hour, with the temperature dropping, and almost sleety rain.

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Wed 11/08/2004 09:35

Yes Ben. As me and my Dad traveled towards town I saw the most amazing looking gust front I'd ever seen. Extending from what looked like the Alps all the way to Bank's Peninsula. I got some photos but they were in the car, still it shows the front to most respects but it would've been much better if I could've got on the Port Hills as that would've made an awsome shot!

I just felt so helpless as this thing went over us

, it just wasn't forecast at all, yesterday anyway. I did notice the forecasts said showers at some time during the night or morning but I thought that was going to be rain blown in from the west like we've know it to do so before (nothing spectaculer), and I presume the forecasters thought this to. But John's saying rings true, when the pressures low anything could happen! It definately isn't a thunderous front but the grandure of it would've been an awsome shot to get on camera.

Raining nicely here at present, I think drought conditions should be eased very much by the recent rains and this morning, that is if there was any drought conditions are there?

wxgirl · Unread post by **wxgirl** » Wed 11/08/2004 09:47

I just felt so helpless as this thing went over us

, it just wasn't forecast at all, yesterday anyway. I did notice the forecasts said showers at some time during the night or morning but I thought that was going to be rain blown in from the west like we've know it to do so before (nothing spectaculer), and I presume the forecasters thought this to.

Not at Blue Skies ... were expecting a gusty SW change as a depression deepened and moved away to the east of us this morning... It's really the cloud wrapped around the low that has just come over ... v. chilly though.

TonyT · Unread post by **TonyT** » Wed 11/08/2004 10:12

Aaron J Wilkinson wrote: it just wasn't forecast at all, yesterday anyway.

On Monday the forecast I wrote for Wednesday for Canterbury was for "Showers in the morning with gusty southwesterlies, clearing during the day and winds tending westerly."

We had some heavy showers overnight and again around 7am, with fresh to strong westerlies, but now dry with strong to near gale southwesterlies, and very cold.

Unusual to get a wave depression forming over the South Island in this way - they usually form much further south, and it usually just the fronts associated with them that sweep over the South ISland.

EDIT - sorry Wxgirl, didnt see your post till after I wrote this

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Wed 11/08/2004 10:49

I'm sorry Tony and wxgirl! I quite possibly missed it or forgot. I should deffinately pay more attention to these things, I could've got some great footage out of this morning!. I guess its just me being slightly peeved of that I missed something like that.

But, the sun shall rise tomorrow and a new day will dawn. More storms to look foward to and many adventures to be had!!!

Just out of interest, what was your forecast last night. I missed that one to!

Confounded channel one!

Just me muttering to myself

.

Cheers

Gary Roberts · Unread post by **Gary Roberts** » Wed 11/08/2004 11:15

Omarama got 3" of snow overnight. A beautiful fine day now. Lovely.

wxgirl · Unread post by **wxgirl** » Wed 11/08/2004 11:17

I guess those down that way will be rethinking the end of winter thoughts ...

Gary Roberts · Unread post by **Gary Roberts** » Wed 11/08/2004 11:46

wxgirl wrote:I guess those down that way will be rethinking the end of winter thoughts ...

Not really. It's quite warm and sunny at the moment and the snow won't lie for long. We've had snow down here on Christmas day and New Year's Eve twice. It still feels like spring, albeit with snow lying all over the place! Quite picturesque!

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Wed 11/08/2004 12:03

Now sunny in Chch as well - shows how when the general airflow is westerly not southerly, any wet southerly changes that hit Chch are brief.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Wed 11/08/2004 18:19

Looks like another decent cold change across the South Island at the weekend. It wouldn't suprise me to see snow to sea level in the south. Most of the moisture from the weekends trough though will be aimed at the North Island. Hence likely to be a good snow dump in the Tongariro region and eastern ranges.

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Wed 11/08/2004 19:55

Here are the pictures from that front this morning, the pictures definately don't give it justice. I would've been better on top of the port hills.

As a positive, I've figured out how to do clickable thumbnails!

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Wed 11/08/2004 21:32

Nice pics there Aaron. Looks like a roll cloud.