Media: July 2008 Storms

[Grant]

The Auckland region was hit by a squally cold front during rush hour tonight, bringing high winds and drivign rain, as a band of rough weather heads up the North Island after battering the West Coast earlier.
The South Island's West Coast was peppered by almost 7500 lightning strikes this morning.
Weather Watch reporter Katrina Lowe said the storm cut power in Greymouth for a short time.
"We had flashes every 30 seconds and the thunder was just rumbling and rumbling," Ms Lowe said.
Weather analyst Philip Duncan had warned people in the North Island that with the number of lightning strikes expected, there could be direct hits on buildings, trees and lamp posts.
Meanwhile, the MetService has predicted wind gusts of up to 120km/h could batter the east coast from the Wairarapa to North Canterbury tomorrow morning.

Lightning strikes hit West Coast, front heads northwards - 02 Jul 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news

[Grant]

The North Island is expected to face a pounding from the weather today after spectacular thunderstorms hit the country yesterday and prompted warnings for people to stay indoors.

The dismal weather is forecast to continue through the weekend and until at least Tuesday in most areas.

More than 7500 lightning strikes were recorded on the South Island's West Coast yesterday, with 1100 in one hour alone, and power was knocked out for a short time, said Greymouth Weather Watch reporter Katrina Lowe.

"We had flashes every 30 seconds and the thunder was just rumbling and rumbling."

Another weather pounding on the way - 03 Jul 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news

[Grant]

School-holiday travellers are being urged to delay their plans until early next week as snow and gales loom today and tomorrow.


The wintry blast is the flipside of the mild weather over the past two days and is expected to hit Canterbury and Marlborough through to Sunday.

The MetService says it is keeping a close watch on the likely wind strength as well as the amount of snow expected to fall and to what level.

Heavy snow is predicted down to about 200m in Canterbury tonight, but forecasters say it could fall to sea level before clearing tomorrow.

MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt urged those planning to make an early getaway for the school holidays to change their plans.

"It looks like a snowy weekend for you people, mixed in with some big southerlies."

Unlike the two cold snaps last month, this low-pressure system had the potential to bring heavier snow.

"It will be a really wintry outbreak, likely to bring snow to at least 300m, maybe a lot lower," McDavitt said.

Snow could hit holiday travellers - New Zealand news on Stuff.co.nz

[Grant]

cold front moving up the South Island today, North Island Saturday. Snow lowering to sea level later today in Southland and moving northwards overnight and through Saturday. Heavy snow across Central Plateau including the Desert Road and National Park. Bitterly cold right across New Zealand by the end of Saturday and a big high moving in for a few days next week.

Snow, sleet and hail for the weekend - 04 Jul 2008 - Weather Watch - NZ Herald Blog

[windy]

a big high moving in for a few days next week.

just in time for the school holidays too

[Grant]

Bad weather spread across the South Island yesterday as Cantabrians braced for chilling winds, rain and snow.


Blue Skies Weather director Tony Trewinnard yesterday forecast a potentially "major weather event" in Canterbury this weekend.

"The biggest hazard out of the weather will be the wind," he said. "It does have the potential to be quite a major weather event. Saturday might be the day we all remember of 2008."

A depression was expected to deepen off the east coast of the South Island and swing along the Canterbury coast, with winds up to gale force or severe gale force over Banks Peninsula.

"At the same time, a vigorous depression like this usually generates substantial amount of cloud and rain so we are likely to be verging on heavy rainfall for the afternoon."

Cantabrians could expect about 30mm of rain over the weekend.

"Some of that water will fall out as snow rather than rain," Trewinnard said. "It doesn't look cold enough to bring snow to sea level, but we'll probably see it down to 200m, which will cover the Port Hills.

Storm threatens day to remember - New Zealand news on Stuff.co.nz

[ATO2]

Originally Posted by Grant

a big high moving in for a few days next week.

Yea for the big High! I got so much work to do outside!

[Grant]

Snow is falling as far north as the Kaimai Ranges in the Waikato as a bitterly cold wintry blast hits the country. Eyewitness reports from Te Aroha confirm snow has fallen to about 800 metres on Mt Te Aroha in the eastern Waikato.

Just a hundred kilometres north and snow clouds can be seen around Auckland city. "They tend to have a bronze tinge to them" says TRN's chief weather analyst Philip Duncan.

"If Sky Tower was 3 times its height it would be snowing on the top". Duncan says the freezing level will lower to around 1000 metres over Auckland today.

Hail showers lashed the city this morning and a cold sou'wester is blowing.

Sleet has been reported in New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Wellington.

Snow is now falling in Queenstown, Dunedin, Ashburton and just recently started in Christchurch.

It's snowing - in the Waikato! - 05 Jul 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news

[Grant]

The icy blast sweeping up the country moved to the North Island today, causing traffic chaos and more road closures.

As well as affecting the usual central North Island roads, police were reporting extremely hazardous driving conditions in the Wanganui and Manawatu areas.

A spokeswoman from the Hawera police said State Highway 3 southeast of the town was closed for about two hours because a hail storm made it too treacherous to drive on.

She said motorists heading up an incline near Manutahi at one stage found themselves sliding backwards on the icy road.

While some were turned back by police, about 20 others were stranded until the road was cleared by machinery.

Icy weather causing chaos in North Island - 05 Jul 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news

[Grant]

Hail stones as big as marbles, sleet, snow, gale-force winds and rain fell in a polar blast yesterday which had the country in an icy grip.

The winter storm closed state highways in the central North Island as police warned motorists to stay off the roads, while snow fell to sea-level at a Christchurch beach.

In the coldest spell this year, temperatures in Auckland fell to just 6 degrees at lunchtime, 10 degrees in Wellington, and Dunedin had a high of 4 degrees.

More than 3000 lightning strikes hit the country but the wild weather is expected to clear in the next two days for much of the North Island.

"The storm is moving away to the east so things will probably clear quite nicely by today," said MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt.

Icy blast sweeps country - 06 Jul 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news