Heavy snowfall in South Island for 28th Sept

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Sun 26/09/2004 17:55

From MetService's severe weather outlook:

Cold southerlies are forecast to spread up the South Island on Monday behind the front, bringing snow to low levels in Southland, Otago and Canterbury (See latest Special Weather Advisory). There is considered to be a moderate risk that snowfall amounts may be enough to justify a warning in Canterbury, with only a low risk in Southland and Otago, however conditions are still likely to cause further stress to new born lambs and make for hazardous travelling conditions on higher South Island roads.

Seems like the icy blast of last weekend will not be the last for this spring.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Sun 26/09/2004 18:49

Yes, possible warm advective snow fall for inland Canterbury.

I heard on National Radio last week that Southland/Otago farmers have suffered record lamb loses this spring due to cold wet conditions.
Production will halfed which will have a negative impact on the local economy down there.

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Sun 26/09/2004 19:01

Well it happens every year now for the last 5 years I guess winter is Aug-November now

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Sun 26/09/2004 21:39

Well it happens every year now for the last 5 years I guess winter is Aug-November now

Looking back over the last 10 years, I think there would've been only 2 years without major wintry outbreaks in spring.

BTW I've just looked at the latest GASP long range models. I know model prognoses a week ahead can get sometimes get really crazy, but if this one comes true, we could be looking at a southerly blast that would be unusually cold even for mid winter, let alone early October - I mean thickness levels of 516 for the far south, 524 for the central North Island, and 528 for Northland! But as I said it's a long way ahead for predictions.

Back to the short term, I think this impending cold blast will be more severe for Canterbury, than for Otago and Southland, but should be short-lived. Hopefully the winds won't be nearly as strong as in last weekend's storm. (windchill is a big killer of lambs in these situations)

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Mon 27/09/2004 13:58

Back to the short term, I think this impending cold blast will be more severe for Canterbury, than for Otago and Southland, but should be short-lived.

Latest forecasts confirm this, giving a special advisory for Canterbury and Malborough, but no mention of snow for Otago and Southland. In fact the change must've already arrived in Otago and Southland, but temps there are about 8-9C, hardly a very cold outbreak (though it could still get colder there).

Andy · Unread post by **Andy** » Mon 27/09/2004 17:43

Yep a bit cooler today, warm morning but getting cold from about 10am with a cold shower. Not sure at what level the snow fell as still cloudy around the hills. Still a cold breeze from the south an partly cloudy.

Max 14.4 in the early hrs.

Rainfall 0.5mm

Dean. · Unread post by **Dean.** » Mon 27/09/2004 22:11

Starting to rain now in Ashburton,according to my family at 10pm.Rain looks to becoming widespread on the 9pm radar.
Heating up nicely here in North Queensland,maximums up around 30-31 degrees and minimum temps 22 last night,dewpoint at the moment 17.9 so the humidity is creeping up.Boring weather as far as storms go,but should start to see a build up hopefully in around 6-8 weeks.
Good to see new members joining the forum,still log in and have a read every day,
keep up the good work.
Deano.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Mon 27/09/2004 22:20

Starting to rain now in Ashburton,according to my family at 10pm.Rain looks to becoming widespread on the 9pm radar.

Radar shows rain in north and South Canterbury, but Chch is still cloudy but dry. MetService has snow level predicted for 400m in Canty tomorrow, but past experience tells me that it could easily get lower in such warm advection situations. My parents are on the West Coast and intending to travel back later tomorrow, but the passes look dodgy in the forecasts, though conditions are expected to ease in the afternoon.

03Stormchaser · Unread post by **03Stormchaser** » Mon 27/09/2004 23:10

raining now in chch

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Mon 27/09/2004 23:24

03 Stormchaser wrote:raining now in chch

Not here it is although it may not be far away

where abouts in ChCh are you?

Deano. Good to hear from you and it is a shame that nothing is happening yet in Cairns. I hope that the weather gets there gets that boring that you HAVE to move back to Ashburton ???
It was good getting your reports from Ash

JohnGaul
NZTS

03Stormchaser · Unread post by **03Stormchaser** » Mon 27/09/2004 23:29

NZ Thunderstorm Soc wrote:
03 Stormchaser wrote:raining now in chch

Not here it is although it may not be far away

where abouts in ChCh are you?

JohnGaul
NZTS

Papanui, although that rain lasted all of 5-10 mins!

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Mon 27/09/2004 23:35

03 Stormchaser wrote:
Papanui, although that rain lasted all of 5-10 mins!

mind you I'm a bit sheltered herein Somerfield

Just recorded a very long sfreric

I wonder how Steven Graham's Boltek recorded it?

....just another one now? ...mind you it's in the Tassy Sea, not local

JohnGaul
NZTS

Andy · Unread post by **Andy** » Tue 28/09/2004 07:08

Cold S.W and misty low cloud, snow level has settled to around 400m.

Temp ATM 3.7 degrees.

jeffsweather · Unread post by **jeffsweather** » Tue 28/09/2004 08:37

Interesting how today is similar to the weather I recorded 1 year ago to the day. 28 Sept 2003 max of 8.1 degrees and 28.8mm of rain with a light easterly.
Steady light rain in Christchurch at the moment but I don't think I'll record 28.8mm today.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 28/09/2004 08:50

Interesting how today is similar to the weather I recorded 1 year ago to the day. 28 Sept 2003 max of 8.1 degrees and 28.8mm of rain with a light easterly.

28 Sept 2003 saw heavy warm advection snow in inland Canterbury - history repeating itself? But this event probably won't get that bad, simply because it's not expected to be as long lasting.

Snow has now settled on Port Hills - I know because it's just been shown on TV Breakfast news (along with shots of a good blanket of snow in Oxford). Just raining in the central city.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 28/09/2004 13:08

According to radio news, Hanmer's been getting a heavy dumping (about 25cm?), and there have been reports of snow in Amberley and Rangiora. Rain continuing in central Chch with hints of sleet.

Yet another heavy rain event in lower North Island as well.

TonyT · Unread post by **TonyT** » Tue 28/09/2004 15:46

Definitely sleet in Amberley, as in half melted snow which "splodges" (thanks for that word Paul, if you are reading this, I have always thought it just the best word to describe the impact of sleet on a car windscreen), but no sign of any snowflakes.

Rain has eased off now, nearly 25mm so far.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 28/09/2004 16:07

I've just been up to Victoria Park on the Port Hills, and there's a dusting of snow down to the top of the park at approximately 300m asl. But no snow was falling; the weather seems to have eased off, with only a bit of intermittant rain. Looks like North Canterbury and Kaikoura (where it was only 2C at Noon) got the worst of the snow. Now the lower North Island is beginning to feel the chill, (6-8C in Wellington/Wairarapa at 3PM) having already been deluged by heavy rain.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 28/09/2004 18:26

The sun finally came out late this afternoon in Chch, after a very cold and wet day. Almost a repeat of 28th Sept 2003, except this time the heavy snow seemed to be centred further north, in North Canterbury and Kaikoura. TV1 News showed, as well as the floods and snow, the damage caused by gales in Nelson and Westland.

Andy · Unread post by **Andy** » Tue 28/09/2004 19:43

Cold today and mostly cloudy with some very breif sunny spells.

Snow fell to around 400m in the west and south of the basin.

Max 10 degrees

03Stormchaser · Unread post by **03Stormchaser** » Tue 28/09/2004 20:06

I know of snow in Oxford,

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 28/09/2004 22:48

A brief shower earlier this evening in central Chch, and a few are still forecast. Otherwise we would be heading for a heavy frost.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Tue 28/09/2004 22:57

03 Stormchaser wrote:I know of snow in Oxford,

Yes, I got an email from a Morris Dancing friend of mine who lives there who says Hello John and Bob, Its very pretty here!! About 9cm of snow on the lawn a few minutes ago (11.30 in case my computer clock isn't correct) and falling steadily again now. At about 7am there was a covering and it was on trees but not settling on the road. Then at about 9 it started to settle. Rather wet now and has disappeared from the road again.

JohnGaul
NZTS

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Wed 29/09/2004 09:28

A complete contrast to yesterday - clear skies in Chch today, with the only visible cloud far to the southeast. A -7C frost reported at Airport. (?) Just a little snow left on the Port Hills, which shouldn't last for long.

Skywatcher · Unread post by **Skywatcher** » Wed 29/09/2004 09:55

Was that a -7C ground frost then ? Wunderground has -2C for the 6am reading which fits with my own -1.8C low.

Noticed a link to a new site in Lyttelton with a webcam showing snow on Mt Bradley (?): http://maybros.d2g.com/weather/