RFMI: Auckland Tornado 3rd July 2008

[Grant]

At least four houses suffered roof damage when a mini-tornado ripped through a street in the Auckland suburb of Glendowie tonight.
Northern fire communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said residents of Esperance Rd rang emergency services about 6.30pm and reported a "mini-tornado" had ripped through the street.
He said four houses had lost roof tiles and firefighters were putting up large salvage sheets to ensure they remained waterproof.
Three fire crews remained at the scene hours after the event and insurance assessors were also expected, Mr Phillips said.
He said the residents were still in their houses but it was unclear whether they would stay tonight.
No other streets reported damage or sightings of the tornado and no one was injured.

Four houses report damage after Auckland tornado - 03 Jul 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news

[Grant]

Again a request for futher information please, in the way of site visit, photos, eye witness reports, media reports etc. in order to be able to verify that the event was an actual tornado.

[Grant]

Nothing of any substance coming in from press accounts.

Firefighters helped to put tiles back on roofs after a mini-tornado ripped through Glendowie last night.

Police said residents made calls to emergency services when the tornado struck about 6.30pm. The Fire Service secured homes in Esperance Rd.

The tornado follows a similar event yesterday morning in Inglewood, where a twister destroyed two barns.

MetService forecaster Andy Downs said a tornado was consistent with weather warnings about squally winds expected to hit the area.

Tornadoes on wrecking path - 04 Jul 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news

[windy]

I doubt that it was a tornado, more likely a strong squall or microburst or straitline winds
because I did not notice any CB's around that time that were strong enough to produce a tornado...but you never know......(as the main front had already passed through at 3 to 4pm)

The waiuku tornado from a few days before I have more info on....it brought down big pine trees which broght down power lines in the Waitani falls area....and tree damage can be follwed for a few km/s inland...power still off in the worst affected area

[Grant]

Originally Posted by windy

I doubt that it was a tornado, more likely a strong squall or microburst or straitline winds
because I did not notice any CB's around that time that were strong enough to produce a tornado...but you never know

Indeed, the important thing to do would be to get a site visit to try to ascertain rotational winds, through way of photographic evidence of the damage trail or track. These could then be compared with radar and other information for the time frame.

Its OK for the media to classify it in order to sell papers, but it would be nice to get a team of volunteers together to analyse NZ weather events and be a little more scientific in the approach.

If anyone is interested in volunteering for such things, please join the storm chasers social group and we can get something arranged.

[victoria]

I live on Esperance Road a few doors down from where the main damage occured and have taken a few pics on my mobile to upload for you. I didn't track the path of it because all the houses are down long driveways and I didn't want to trespass. There is considerable damage to the roofs of four houses park side of Esperance and a few trees have been ripped apart and scattered across the park.

I had arrived home 5 minutes before it occured. It was quite still, no wind at all that I can recall. 5 minutes later I went to lock the dead bolt on the already closed front door and as I did... thee most incredible noise and wind rose out of no where! The lock wouldn't move because the door was being pushed in. I pushed all my weight against it and still couldn't lock it. I could see the 4cm thick wooden door bending at the base and wind seemed to gush through at the bend. The wind whistled loudly through the joins in the windows like I have never ever ever heard before. I'm pretty sure it stopped just as quickly as it came. It would have only been 15 - 20seconds before I could lock the door again. A 3m tall olive was torn out of our garden and a few big terracotta pots thrown off the deck. Otherwise not much to show for it at our place.

[Grant]

Hi Victoria,

Many thanks for taking the time to join the site, upload the photos and provide a comprehensive eye witness report. The information is invaluable, thank you very much indeed.

Its clear that there was a significant weather event in your location. Hopefully, with a few more reports from the neighbouring areas (or if we can get someone to site visit) we may be able to get a definitive answer as to what it was.

Rotation in the wind is the one thing that would distinguish this as a tornado. From what we have so far, looking at the tree damage across the images supplied so far, it looks as though the wind was straight in direction - particularly the one with the split branch (t4). With a rotational force you would hope to see a "spiralling" effect on this branch, as if it was twisted off.

Of course the more information we have the better and as you can clearly see from the pictures, this in no way lessens the effects and damage of the wind event, but it would change its scientific classification.

[windy]

thanks for the update!
very interesting!
I do now remember seeing to the north of me just before it got dark some big showers....but with the 11oC and lower dew points after the front, they were pretty high based CB's
was there any rain with the event, etc?

[ATO2]

Thanks for the description and pix, Victoria. I am trying to compare it with the Taranaki wind damage yesterday.

[windy]

looks like straight line winds that have come down a hill side....the roof damage is on the leeward side of those winds...and the tree branches that got borken off are all blown out into the soccer field at the bottom of the hill in the same direction...