MORE RAIN FOR UPPER SOUTH ISLAND

 

Pahau River 9km upstream from State Highway 7 near Culverden. Photo by weather watcher Jason Hawker. 

 

Yesterday you could walk across this in your sneakers and not get your feet wet!

Rain is continuing to fall across North Canterbury and Kaikoura this evening and while there are signs of it perhaps easing back a bit over the coming hours the Weather Watch Centre says there is still plenty more to come over the next 24 hours.

The latest independent forecasts generated through the Centre show rain, particularly concentrated around the Kaikoura region, lasting right through until Tuesday night, with showers continuing through Wednesday.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the low that’s bringing the weather is currently moving off the North Island and out into the Pacific Ocean, but due to its slow speed the rain is likely to linger.

“The rain is really being fed in to the north eastern side of the South Island.  At this stage Christchurch southwards appear to be missing the worst.  The heaviest falls appear to be confined to the ranges.  If you live between Christchurch and Kaikoura it will pay to keep up to date with the local news and weather in your area”.

MORE FOG FOR WELLINGTON AIRPORT

Fog rolled back into the Capital this afternoon after disrupting flights earlier today in Auckland.  Our Wellington Weather Watch reporter Lee Densem says the fog has caused headaches for travellers.  “It has been overcast all day, but fog started settling into some areas just before 2pm. Several flights in and out of Wellington Airport have been cancelled, including one international flight to Brisbane”.

Fog may come and go over the next 18 to 24 hours – for flight details go here:  www.wellington-airport.co.nz/html/airportinfo

T-STORMS EASE OVER NORTH ISLAND

Towering Cumulus clouds over Auckland this afternoon – captured by weather watcher David Shone.  Big towering clouds have popped up all over the North Island.

The large area of low pressure, responsible for triggering hundreds of very heavy showers, hailstorms and thousands of lightning flashes, is tonight slowly inching off the North Island and out into the Pacific.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the heavy showers literally exploded into life earlier today and was “a fascinating sight on the rain radar”.

Mr Duncan says the big clouds creating the downpours are starting to ease tonight but remain over Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and Gisborne/Wairoa.  “The lightning detector at weatherwatch.co.nz has recorded almost 3000 strikes today – mostly across Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay”.

Around 2pm a large hail storm was reported over Pyes Pa near Tauranga.  Eye witness reports say the ground turned white from the storm.

“The centre of the low is very large pretty much covering the entire North Island.  The centre of a low is often very calm allowing for these conditions to happen.  By tomorrow the western side of the low will move in bringing a return to south westerlies to the North Island’s west coast – flushing out these unstable conditions”.

By Tuesday afternoon a sou’wester will develop over Auckland bringing a return to the more predictable winter weather patter of slightly lower temperatures and light showers.

WEST COAST PLEASANT 

The western side of the South Island is enjoying some of the warmest weather in the country at the moment. 

This photo taken last week by helicopter pilot Kurt Schierning shows the incredible skies over Baumann Glacier – and today West Coasters are enjoying more fantastic weather.

Under relatively clear skies the temperature bounced to 18 degrees at Haast today with 16s and 17s along the coastline.

If you have photos of today’s weather – send them through to us and we’ll share them with the rest of New Zealand!  Email: philipduncan@radionetwork.co.nz