NZ Weather Forum

Take a look at some of these readings...

Cape Reinga - 41km/h SW
Channel Island - 59km/h W
Auckland Airport - 35km/h WSW
Manukau Heads - 52km/h WSW - cheers Brian!
Hamilton - 32km/h W
Port Taharoa - 41km/h WSW
Hick's Bay - 35km/h W
Taupo - 35km/h WSW
New Plymouth - 37km/h WSW
Napier - 61km/h W
Wanganui - 54km/h WNW
Palmerston North - 50km/h WNW
Castlepoint - 80km/h WNW
Levin - 44km/h WNW
Mt Kaukau - 70km/h NNW
Farewell Spit - 50km/h W
Blenheim - 35km/h WSW
Westport - 37km/h W
Kaikoura - 43km/h W
Hokitika - 37km/h W
Le Bons Bay - 63km/h S
Haast - 44km/h W
Oamaru - 37km/h WSW
Dunedin - 35km/h WSW
Invercargill - 46km/h WSW
Nugget Point - 57km/h SW
South West Cape - 54km/h SW

While some of these readings aren't considered 'windy' for the areas, the fact that it is so widespread, is interesting.

Strong southwest flow over NZ. But you'd think some places like Taupo/BOP would be somewhat sheltered from this airflow.

tich wrote:Strong southwest flow over NZ. But you'd think some places like Taupo/BOP would be somewhat sheltered from this airflow.

The SW wind is very strong in Tauranga, so i'm sure it will pick up to over 50km/h today

been at GaleForce again and light rain now has started

i must admit i am geting a bit sick of the SW wind!

Manukau heads observer wrote:i must admit i am geting a bit sick of the SW wind!

I fear we'll have it a while yet...and the NZ waters are cool at present as someone noted earlier. I recall now that a retired met. scientist (?J W Hessell?) published a paper a few years back that stated that a slow-moving wave left the S American coast in 1982, in association with the major El Nino of the time. He said that it would take about 20 years to reach NZ seas and could have a steering effect on our currents, adding a cold anomaly as I vaguely recall. Don't know how long this was supposed to affect us. But maybe it is contributing to 2004's mix. He also said that the 1997/8 El Nino was exceptionally warm here, much warmer than forecast, because of effects of the approaching wave. I hope I haven't misrepresented his ideas. The paper appeared in "Weather and Climate", can't remember date.

I think "bad" weather (ignoring the really damaging stuff) can be either annoying (= stimulating for some!?) or depressing, sometimes both. NZ has lots of weather in the annoying group in my view. The only kind that I find depressing is a prolonged spell of very cloudy weather. NZ places generally endure a lot less of this than the UK or northern Europe, but it's far from unknown.

the wind is drying the pastures out here badly now
and its also blowing alot of sand around on the coastal dunes....
you have to go back 10 years to see it as bad as the sand is now...it might be worse even