NZ Weather Forum

Reports on Stuff that ChCh Aero runway lights knocked out by lightning strikes

First rumble heard from the SW, coming this way

Big hail storm in kaiapoi. And just had an isolated CG in the city again.

Goodness me the radar is impressive over CHCH. Weather has cleared down this way but there appears to be more developing near Timaru. Further to my airport post earlier, it could be some time before they’re operational again.

Storm passing between the hills to the west and here. not a lot of thunder though

Quite a bit of heavy rain earlier, unsure of current rainfall totals.
Starting to ease and a light NE again, after being strong southerly for some time.
More to come perhaps

Just one ripper close by strike

Richard wrote: ↑Tue 12/12/2023 11:48 Storm passing between the hills to the west and here. not a lot of thunder though

Plenty of thunder here over the last hour, a few quite close rattling the china.

TonyT wrote: ↑Tue 12/12/2023 12:03

Richard wrote: ↑Tue 12/12/2023 11:48 Storm passing between the hills to the west and here. not a lot of thunder though

a few quite close rattling the china.

The close by strike was like that, seen another CG three seconds away.

Radar looking impressive coming your way Tony

Strong upper cold trough today. chances were their since last week, Wellington and coastal eastern North island in firering line this afternoon.

Nothing much here in Geraldine, just usual rain this morning with the southerly.
Cloud breaking up now with a bit of a NE. The Timaru hail must of moved out to sea?

NZ herald has a photo of what looks like a decent sized hailstone.

It sounds like the airport is back up and running again, but I see the weather station where met service gets the readings for Christchurch is out of action.
Has also knocked out internet lines around Avonhead.

Hail not as big here as further north, but big accumulations still not melted a few hours later.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc wrote: ↑Tue 12/12/2023 12:36 Nothing much here in Geraldine, just usual rain this morning with the southerly.
Cloud breaking up now with a bit of a NE. The Timaru hail must of moved out to sea?

Yes, Nothing our here near Pleasant Point. Same thing happened with the 2019 Hailstorm.

I just happened to be on the road from Twizel to Chch, so I took a wee diversion on the inland scenic road from Geraldine to Springfield.. saw a doozy CG about 300m in front of the car.. no structure to the storm and LOTS of hail through Glentunnel to Sheffield.

Impressive looking Wellington rain radar at 1:52pm
Often frontal bands like this struggle to push across the Strait into the northerly, but the wind is currently reasonably light in the Wellington area. Will wait and see!

237pm. Continuous thunder to the south of Wellington
Seriously dark clouds out in the Strait. This could be "interesting"!

Wow Wellingtons radar looks biblical- look at all that green!

Friends image from Karori just now...

spwill wrote: ↑Tue 12/12/2023 12:43 NZ herald has a photo of what looks like a decent sized hailstone.

Yes some large hail reports around Canterbury today. Also large hail accumulations in timaru and kaiapoi. Nothing supercellular today though I don't think.

Had the trough hit this afternoon in Canterbury bigger storms definitely would have happend.

Looks like wellys turn now

I'm in central Wellington, intense front just passed across here, gusty winds, heavy rain, small hail and lightning/thunder.

Wellington 3pm

Plimmerton at
3:03pm 3:08pm

Thunder081 wrote: ↑Tue 12/12/2023 15:14 Plimmerton at
3:03pm
3.03pm 12-12-23.PNG
3:08pm
2.PNG

Here's the video feed that that was taken from. Can see the front moving in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpueIAAde-U

That front certainly delivered
A LOT of thunder, including visible Cloud to Ground strikes out to the west before the actual frontal band hit town.

Screen grab showing the approaching and departing lightnings strikes. At times where was almost continuous thunder. A couple of were under 1km away, but that was during the most intense period of rain, so was too hard to film anything.
My father was driving into town on Transmission gully when they encountered the front, and he said EVERYONE stopped driving and pulled over as the visibility was that poor.

Timelapse I took just as the main band of rain arrived:

https://x.com/Rosspnz/status/1734395618293137624?s=20