New Zealand weather

[forecaster]

Keeping eyes on Hastings which has exceed 29C before even 11AM. The change is still some way off, so wonder how warm it can get. This summer is 18 days old and already there've been a number of 30C+ highs around the country, all to the east of the main ranges.

[Styx]

So how warm did it get?

I hope you are able to keep this thread going, with weather stories and NZ weather stats of interest, etc.

[forecaster]

So how warm did it get?

I hope you are able to keep this thread going, with weather stories and NZ weather stats of interest, etc.

I'll give it a go. I think it hit 32C in Napier which is near Hastings. Wellington reached 27C today, which is most unusual.

[Pixel]

32c !! I hope it cools down a bit.. the weather widow and I are coming to Auckland to visit my Dad for 3 weeks in Jan and those sort of temps are going to be a shock. But at least you'll be able to have a good BarB on Christmas Day. Think of us all here in the UK in the dark damp drizzle won't you

[forecaster]

Merry Christmas.

It's very warm almost everywhere on Christmas Day in New Zealand. Cool places down the east coast stuck in sea fog and only about 18C. Alexandra currently creeping towards its forecast high of 33C. Down south the highs usually occur around 4PM or 5PM so it will be interesting to see how hot it gets.

Thunderstorms popping up, some are likely to be severe. We are currently in a rather humid airmass also, with dewpoints around 18-21C all around the North Island. SSTs vary from about 20-21C in northeast Northland to 12C in southeast Otago/Southland.

[forecaster]

6:30PM Christmas Day and official conditions are 28C in Wellington and 31C in Alexandra. Dewpoints are very different though: 17C in Wellington and 0C in Alexandra!

Meanwhile, across the ditch, the much vaunted summer city of Sydney is experiencing strong southerlies, rain and 17C. The high today in Sydney was 20C, pretty pathetic for a city at that latitude.

[Styx]

I was very surprised to read that the highest temperature recorded in New Zealand was a whooping 42.4C.

That is higher than the Tasmanian extreme, yet we had air of desert origion responsible for it.

[Cloud]

I was very surprised to read that the highest temperature recorded in New Zealand was a whooping 42.4C.

That is higher than the Tasmanian extreme, yet we had air of desert origion responsible for it.

Moist air being forced across the Southern Alps creates a pronounced fohn effect in the east of the South Island. With the fohn process moist air yields a higher temperature rise than dry air.

Edited February 17, 2013 by nzstorm

[RWood43]

Moist air being forced across the Southern Alps creates a pronounced fohn effect in the east of the South Island. With the fohn process moist air yields a higher temperature rise than dry air.

 

There was more to it as well. A parcel of very warm dry air over central Australia travelled across the Tasman, with a definite separation line from a moister cooler marine layer below. Conseqently the air that arrived at the Alps was unusually warm before the fohn process even started. Helping a little further perhaps was the protracted rather dry spell for months since in the eastern regions, with soil temperatures above normal and also a prior succession of very warm days. Christchurch for example had already had 3-4 consecutive days in the 30s before 7/2/1973.

Edited June 11, 2013 by RWood43

[Styx]

Polar blast to bring heavy snow

By Matthew Backhouse @Mbackhouse , Kieran Campbell @KieranCampbell

7:31 AM Tuesday Jun 18, 2013

[*] 

There will be a brief reprieve today for towns cleaning up from yesterday's floods as they prepare for the threat of "blizzard conditions" later this week.

Snow could reach as far north as the Coromandel Peninsula and the Kaimai Range later this week as a huge winter storm looks set to batter the country.

MetService has issued a special weather advisory for the entire country, warning of a "significant cold outbreak" expected to start sweeping up the South Island from tomorrow night before reaching the North Island on Thursday and Friday.

 

Temperatures are expected to be "very cold", snow may fall in many areas, and "strong, cold, blustery" winds will affect most of the country.

"People should be aware that snowfalls are likely to cause widespread disruption to traffic especially about alpine passes and higher level roads, and more generally in Marlborough, Canterbury, Southland and around Dunedin," the bureau said.

 

"Exposed parts of the South Island east coast are likely to experience blizzard conditions for a time during Thursday and Friday, which will put stress on livestock and make outdoor pursuits hazardous."

MetService said it would issue warnings throughout the week for the "significant winter storm".

Bitterly cold Antarctic air would begin to sweep up the country from tomorrow, said MetService media and communications meteorologist Daniel Corbett.

"This has the potential to bring significant snow to the south and east of the South Island, as well as central and southern parts of the North Island."

Mr Corbett said the largest snowfalls were likely in inland Canterbury and Marlborough, and near sea level from Southland to Kaikoura by Thursday.

Mr Corbett said it was a "very dynamic weather situation" and details about where and how much snow was expected could change.

WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan said the polar blast would bring heavy snow to the south and east coasts of both islands later this week, with snow to sea level in the South Island and near sea level in parts of the North Island.

"Nowhere in New Zealand can escape it. This is such a huge system."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/weather/news/article.cfm?c_id=10&objectid=10891248

 

Looks like being the biggest snow event for New Zealand in terms of disruption ( low level heavy snow ) since 1992 - that was one of the biggest snow events of the 20th century. 

Edited June 18, 2013 by Styx

[Kiwi]

Dan seems to be getting quite excited about this storm. I'm smiling to myself imagining his tv presentation of this. Any idea how much snow is being forecast Styx?

[SomeLikeItHot]

The storm looked to be pretty severe down there!

 

http://www.smh.com.au/world/storms-lash-new-zealand-20130621-2omey.html

 

2 meters of snow in a couple of days in the mountains apparently.

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/your-weather/8817396/Winter-storm-crunch-time-yet-to-come

[keithlucky]

P

 

The storm looked to be pretty severe down there!

 

http://www.smh.com.au/world/storms-lash-new-zealand-20130621-2omey.html

 

2 meters of snow in a couple of days in the mountains apparently.

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/your-weather/8817396/Winter-storm-crunch-time-yet-to-come

Yes pretty severe snow storm http://t.co/y5lavYIzTe

 

[Styx]

Dan seems to be getting quite excited about this storm. I'm smiling to myself imagining his tv presentation of this. Any idea how much snow is being forecast Styx?

 

I read on a NZ ski forum that Mount Hutt saw 2.8 metres,  with 6 metre drifts !!

The last 20 years has given New Zealand a number of monster snow events.  

[Gray-Wolf]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/03/new-zealand-warmest-winter-record?

 

Never mind the snow it appears N.Z. have had the warmest winter on record??? It shows that huge dumpings a winter does not make!!!

 

With Australia having it's hottest year I have to wonder if it tells us anything of what we should expect this winter?

[crikey]

Severe weather event for the Nth Island of New Zealand underway

Intense sub-Tropical low transitions on Nth New Zealand and further intensification

Nasty piece!!

 

I did a bit of a wrap on the event. for tomorrow and Wednesday  on my blog

if you want some info'

http://weathercycles.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/intense-low-bearing-down-on-the-nth-island-of-new-zealand-24th-and-25th-september-2013/

 

Max' intensity expected by ACCESS G around midnight tomorrow

-----------------------------------------

 

Also of interest G Wolf is that Mount Hutt ski resort on  the sth Island of NZ  had the heaviest snow dump on record in one event in the winter just passed

 

Meanwhile to the west on the Australian mainland the warm anomalies in many parts continue

http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/sydney-set-for-toasty-end-to-september/25461

[Chris W]

NZ has been firmly in the grip of the roaring forties this month, after strong isolated windstorms in August and particularly September (in the latter Christchurch received 130kph gusts and Mt Hutt summit 250kph).  Those storms brought down many trees and power lines inland.  This month has been themed by high pressure to the north and lows tracking over the South Island bringing warm, gusty northwesterlies to Otago and Canterbury (particularly inland) as well as strong winds to Wellington. Yesterday's 'Norwester' pushed the temperature to nearly 30C here in Christchurch and the strongest gusts towards 100kph - I am not sure what the peak gust was but during the night it was quite powerful.  The west coast gets a great deal of rain in these setups, contributing to its average of 7000mm per year.  Safe to say it's wet and thundery over there at the moment.

 

The week or so ahead?  More northwesterlies and westerlies then a hint of high pressure possibly taking over the South Island.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Chris W