TWISTER “A CLOSE CALL” IN AUCKLAND

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TWISTER “A CLOSE CALL” IN AUCKLAND

7/03/2008 11:00am

> From the WeatherWatch archives

A serious twister came close to causing havoc over southern Auckland Friday afternoon but thankfully for the residents below it didnt’t quite make it.

TRN’s Weather Watch Centre received a call around 5pmFriday saying a “funnel cloud” could be clearly seen over Mt Wellington from the North Shore. Other reports come in since then, including reports of damage to some buildings according to TV3.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the afternoon cloud build ups had produced heavy showers over northern New Zealand. “There was a very large thunder cloud over South Auckland Friday afternoon. It developed in western suburbs of the city and slowly drifted south east to cover Manukau”.

“Our current sources are saying that a twister did not develop but that it was a close call”. Duncan explains that a funnel cloud is when the air begins to rotate a cloud, creating a long funnel like cloud below. It’s not classed as a twister or tornado until that cloud links to the ground and that appeared to not happen yesterday afternoon.

Duncan says while afternoon cloud build ups are possible during Saturday he doubts the right conditions will exist for a repeat performance.

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