General January Weather

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Fine day here with some high cloud and moderate ENE winds this afternoon, easing away this evening.
Today's maximum was 19.5C.
Good to see the sun and some blue sky after crap so far this year.

[TonyT]

10 day model guidance from today showing a classic MJO 4/5 summer time signature.

[Cyclone Tracy]

2 cents worth.

All GEFS ensemble members are locking onto another modest dip on the SAM (AAO) index this week. Near negative 2 by mid week. The hangover from the sudden stratospheric warming during September is lingering. Locally, I'm currently 3.5 degrees below the 2018 and 2019 January daily temperature mean with plenty of south westerlies days to come in the next 5 days. Then it goes positive, a sign that the Hadley cell is moving south, pushing the westerlies with it by mid Jan.

As Tony has mentioned, the MJO phase is on the move and near our part of the world from mid January, which is going to stir up the tropics. It's a very strong phase if the models verify. Last year I was fooled along with every global model on the strength of the subtropical ridge. Nothing got through it.... severe TC Oma bounced off it like a trampoline around New Caledonia. So the million dollar question is.... will it buckle this year and send a tropical water slide into parts of NZ? I'm starting to think the chances are increasing in the 2nd half of January.

[David]

Pretty windy down south today. South Port at Bluff recorded gusts up to 71 knots (131 kph)

[Richard]

You wouldn't think the Auckland Island would be big enough to cause wave clouds above it but it has been all day, there's been a few other times Ive seen this happening also.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Wavy clouds overhead today plus lenticularis.
Some rain early this morning but cloud clearing away and becoming fine and warm, up to 28.2C with the westerlies freshening, before the cooler, dry SE came through around 4pm.
Winds easing this easing and down to 11C by 10pm.

[NZstorm]

3.4mm in Grey Lynn earlier this morning.

[Richard]

Strong gusts of wind overnight here have now eased off and are only light, but still likely to blow any chances of storm development.

[tornado]

3.5mm of rain from that front this morning. even though its not enough. it should do anyways.

[Cyclone Tracy]

2.4mm for here. Rocketing up to 2.8mm for the year.

Nature wise, this below average temperature south westerly sequence has quietened the cicadas locally. I've also yet to see any increased activity from ants.

[Richard]

Good point, not heard any here so far

[kiwisk8er]

Super windy in Dunedin today, reminds me of living in Wellington

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Heard my first cicada for the year here in geraldine, yesterday or

[Chris W]

Back from Molesworth and in Hanmer briefly, will put up a diary of weather observations when I get home. Fricking windy today, dust devils all over in the Clarence Valley. Hot initially then cold starts last two days.

[spwill]

The wind is strong at times here today. Looks like we keep the breezy weather here for the rest of the working week but the wind is backing off by Wednesday. Mainly fine here today but tomorrow looks cloudy with the low chance of a light shower and a bit cooler.

[Chris W]

Strong gusts of wind overnight here have now eased off and are only light, but still likely to blow any chances of storm development.

It was blowing its guts out from Hanmer to Culverden this afternoon, strongest wind I've experienced there in a long time.

[David]

Gusts to 84 knots (156 km/h) at Taiaroa Head, Otago Peninsula in the last few hours.

[Richard]

Strong gusts of wind overnight here have now eased off and are only light, but still likely to blow any chances of storm development.

It was blowing its guts out from Hanmer to Culverden this afternoon, strongest wind I've experienced there in a long time.

Yes its been very windy so i'm told, the WNW has picked up again about 7.00pm

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Wind dropped away here now, been westerly and NE.
i bet the albatrosses would of loved the 84 knot gusts at Taiaroa Head today

[tornado]

went up the hill in clevedon today as I was going up the winds were really strong. wind has been strong the whole day almost in takanini. but the hill it was really strong.

[Orion]

Wind dropped away here now, been westerly and NE.
i bet the albatrosses would of loved the 84 knot gusts at Taiaroa Head today

The nesting bird looks a bit wind-blown at the moment. Live + previous twelve hours' coverage at this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9XNKQY4tQc

[tgsnoopy]

About 5mm overnight, cooler and much lower humidity. Quite a windy day. A few repeats of that would go down well.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

A generally fine day here apart from cloudy periods especially out to sea, more so than inland.
Lots of weak Cu layers overhead and across the plains.
Warm westerly winds dying out later this afternoon and turning NE and easing this evening.
Today's maximum was 25.2C.
Becoming cool this evening. Down to 10.2C by 10pm.

[Cyclone Tracy]

Locally I have a 8.9c dew point. Unusual for here on 7th January (at least the last few years anyway).

[Awhituobs]

temperature drop here with those last few showers just through to only 14c
will be nice to get back to more normal summer weather starting this weekend here