New thread for these storms today and possibly tomorrow.
Convection really taking off on the plains right now with Cb's and strikes recorded on the tracker. Here's a few pics which I just took:
I just wish it would hold off a bit, there seems to be no cap to suppress things. There is nothing happening over Chch however so maybe the elevation of the plains is helping? If so maybe things are being suppressed closer to the coast?
Reports of storms and cells generating in the Mt Somers- Mt Hutt area, and spreading across the Plains towards Ellesmere area - certainly looks dark in those directions. No big clouds visible in North Canty yet but plenty of small to med Cu bubbling away.
I hope you get a similar show to us dorklanders last nite!
Good thing is is that your ones are during the day so you may see some interesting phenomena such as F/C's, gust fronts etc.
It's interesting, when the akl storm hit last nite i was outside and I am sure I saw what could have been a gust front as this wall of cloud with heavy rain behind it suddenly came over the top of us from the opposite direction of where the storm was coming from. Super duper winds shortly followed with heavy rain and intermittent hail.
I dont know much about gust fronts, I know Steven W captured one on camera out east auckland in 2003 i think.
So long as there is sunshine this afternoon the clouds should keep going up. Anything after about 6pm will depend on some other form of uplift, eg a SW change edging up the Plains (which is moderately likely).
It's just that I was thinking that 9pm sort of seemed a cut off point and storms would die down around then. Reason being is so me and Steve can get out and do some after work chasing! A gap between 5pm and 9pm would suit us fine, if it goes later into the night, even better!
Reports of storms and cells generating in the Mt Somers- Mt Hutt area, and spreading across the Plains towards Ellesmere area
Is there a secret society of storm watchers out there?
A big cloud has developed southwest of Amberley in the last hour but its not really pushed on to be a significant CB - most of the precip looks like virga only. Also, in that time, the sky has cloudied in more, and the wind has freshened from the south to southwest, which suggests that maybe things will quieten down from now on. Some anvils visible over the hills far to the northeast, probably up Kaikoura way. Still some bubbly CUs developing over the plains to the southwest, but over the sea to Chch and over the Peninsula it looks clear.
If there isnt a society of storm watchers at Mt Peel there certainly should be!
Just tweaked a ranging parameter and it's now brought the storms onto the plain. Thunder is almost continuous from the SW and the leading edge of the Cb is almost overhead.
No!! NO SW, not now! If so then it is, would be good if the change holds off just a bit.
The tracker is still going bizerk! 150 strikes per min, 4000 and something strikes so far. Still, it seems to be ceasing just SW of Chch and into the mountains as Steven G says above. That area were me and Steve were the other night (upper trough thread) would be really going off right now!
Just had another look at the tracker, its really going crazy now.
Unstable cumulus type clouds started developing around Akaroa soon afer about 1PM. Dark cb cloud was visible to the northwest, but has now moved away - no wonder people are reporting action in Canterbury. No rain here yet.
A very big and very black cloud is now edging closer to us from the west and southwest, which corresponds nicely with some strikes in the last 10 minutes showing as west of Amberley on the tracker. I can hear distant rumbles, and its just starting to spit with rain. Looks like this is either another cell forming away from the cluster southwest of Chch or else that cluster is expanding.
Up to 11871 strikes!!!! And still going crazy! (Edited 4:17pm: make that 12744!)
Some goodish rain here now and more strikes to the SW. I saw some lightning out on the plains with some ok bolts and a bit of thunder but still I'm just a bit too far away.
John, over to this thread! Me and Steve will get out as soon as he gets off work! I still don't drive yet!! It'll probably die down by then
I got a pathetic strike on my camera's movie mode, I'll put it up but it's absolutely hopless! I hope your getting good footage John and Steven G! Strike is between the lines on first pic to show you where it is.
Started spitting shortly after my last post, but from about 4.30, the cloud darkened to the west, coming onto rain by 5PM. Yes this included a thunderstorm, but most of the thunder and (probably just sheet) lightning seemed to centred to the west (Little River). Probably no more thunder from about 5.30 (strong southerly/southwesterly wind sprung up), but quite heavy rain at times is continuing.
We got some good thunder and lightning and heavy rain between about 4pm and 4.40pm, then a dry break, but rain has come back in now. Sky is too clagged in to see much.
BTW, I think Aaron has his priorities well sorted - cant drive a car yet yet but knows how to drive a tephigram. Way to go!
Oh well, tomorrow!! There was heaps of lightning out there, hope you got some good shots John / Steven G?
I saw some Cg's plus IC from the Walthem overbridge but in the distance. Most of the lightning activity seemed to cease just SW of Chch and then go around B'sP.
Hi Tony!! Good to hear you got some thunder! Sorry, but whats a tephigram?
