Met Society Newsletter

JANUARY  WEATHER CLIPPINGS

For a printable pdf of this newsletter : http://metsoc.rsnz.org/Newsletter/clips200901.pdf 

Unseasonal weather takes toll in south

By WILL HINE in Queenstown  | Saturday, 03 January 2009 Southland Times

©BARRY HARCOURT/135381

MUDBATH: Alan Chalmers of the Te Anau Rodeo Club inspecting the club's rodeo ground yesterday afternoon. The annual event was cancelled after consistent rain turned the arena into a quagmire.

Unseasonal weather caused disruption and discomfort through the south yesterday as wind, rain and cold hit areas from Invercargill to Central Otago.

Heavy downpours in the south-west prompted the cancellation of today's Te Anau rodeo and forced campers to take refuge in their tents while temperatures plummeted in Queenstown, strong winds tore down powerlines and tree limbs in Alexandra and a rodeo in Wanaka yesterday ended in a mudbath.

Metservice forecaster Andy Downs said more than 100mm of rain fell in Fiordland in a 24-hour period spanning the first two days of the year.

In Invercargill, persistent rain caused blocked drains to flood, while further north a crowd of about 2000 at the Wanaka Rodeo and sat out heavy rain and a quickfire thunderstorm to watch events from beneath an array of makeshift shelters created from tarpaulins and horse blankets. (Abridged)

Hail Storm Hits North Canterbury Farmers

Tuesday, 6 January 2009, 3:56 pm Scoop
Press Release: Federated Farmers

“The man who survived for more than 30 hours adrift on a jet ski during Saturday’s hail storm was incredibly lucky, but that storm hit many North Canterbury cropping farmers hard,” says Paul Stackhouse, North Canterbury Federated Farmers Grain and Seed chairman.

“The golf ball sized hail stones that swept across North Canterbury on Saturday carved a six to eight kilometre path of destruction through crops, with the damage estimated to be well in excess of one million dollars.

 “I know of one farmer who incurred $250,000 worth of damage to his crops. A number of Rape Seed crops were also badly affected by the hail stones. This includes one farmer who saw some 40 hectares of crops literally stripped bare.

“The heaviest hail stones fell from the Waimakariri River to north of Amberley. If farmers had crops of any kind under that storm when it hit those crops would have suffered damage.

PURPLE PADDOCKS

Wed 7 Jan 2009, Timaru Herald

Harvesting pacific blue lavender near Geraldine yesterday were volunteers Mark and Gary Shade. The men harvested about 40 rows which were then transported immediately to the distillery in Amberley. Lavender is grown commercially for extraction of lavender oil from the flowers. This oil can be used as an antiseptic and for aroma therapy. Lavender can also be used in potpourri and dried and sealed in pouches it can be stored among items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and as a deterrent to moths.

Sunblock and hats were the order of the day yesterday with temperatures hitting 28C, and going by the forecast the hot weather is here to stay for the next few days anyway. According to the Metservice it was 28C at the Richard Pearse Airport at 4pm yesterday, meeting the day's expected high.  Today people can prepare for an even warmer day with a forecast high of 31C, and the shade cloth will be needed tomorrow with Timaru predicted to hit 33C.

Hot weather blasts NZ, melts Desert Road - more to come

08 Jan 2009 NZ HERALD

Hot weather blasted the country today with temperatures in Christchurch reaching 40 degrees Celsius.

Hotter than normal temperatures were widespread over New Zealand with 12 locations between Timaru and Gisborne recording temperatures of more than 30degC, MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said.

Rain was pummelling Stewart Island and parts of Southland but the weather was fine from Queenstown north, he said.

The MetService had recorded air temperatures up to 35.7degC in Christchurch, which made it the hottest day of the summer so far and neared its January record high of 35.9degC in 1979.

However, Christchurch-based weather analyst Richard Green told the New Zealand Herald thermometers reached 40degC in the early afternoon with the suburb of Barrington reaching 41degC, Cashmere 40degC and Christchurch city 38degC.

Mr McDavitt said this hot air was part of the weather system that brought temperatures to over 40degC in Sydney recently.

"The air is 20 to 25 degrees coming off the Tasman Sea and warming by around 10 degrees when it crosses the Southern Alps and spreads over the Canterbury plains."

Mr McDavitt advised people feeling stressed by the heat to drink more water, stay inside or go for a swim. (Abridged)

Heat rises, tempers flare

The Press | Friday, 09 January 2009

The hottest January day in Canterbury for 30 years set off fire alarms and sent thousands of people to the beaches yesterday.

Tempers flared at Sumner Beach, where Christchurch police had to break up a fight.

The official MetService temperature hit 35.7deg in Christchurch just before 3pm, just behind the highest January maximum of 35.9deg in 1979.

It was the hottest day in the city since March 1998, when the temperature reached 35.9deg. Amateur observers in Christchurch and North Canterbury reported unofficial highs between 38deg and 40deg.

The heat is set to continue today, with temperatures reaching 29deg or 30deg before a southerly sweeps in tonight.

Christchurch road workers did their best to stay a step ahead of the heat.

City Care drainage foreman Russell McDonald said workers were taking water and shade breaks every hour to ensure they did not suffer sunstroke.

"It really drains you. We're working in the middle of the road with no break from the sun, so it does slow you down," he said.

Heat wave may bring more cyclones

Taranaki Daily News | Friday, 09 January 2009 Taranaki Daily News

CAMERON BURNELL/Taranaki Daily News

Andrea Polglasse and Esther Toylor-Pundie take 11-month-old Katelyn for a paddle at New Plymouth's Ngamotu Beach last night.

Taranaki sweltered under its hottest day of the summer yesterday - but escaped the extremes plaguing other parts of the country where the mercury zoomed into the high 30s.

The Desert Road melted and fires burned as temperatures soared across the country in what is forecast to be a long, dry summer.  MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said the top temperature in Waiouru yesterday was 28.2C - but anything above 28C would melt the Desert Road. Tar melting was also reported north of Auckland.

Hotter than normal temperatures were widespread over New Zealand yesterday, with 35.7C recorded in Christchurch. In New Plymouth, the temperature reached 24.2C at the city weather site.

Niwa's National Climate Centre's seasonal outlook for January to March shows summer is set to be a hot one for most regions - but scientists have also warned the warmer weather could also bring more cyclones our way.  Niwa's climate outlook for January to March says La Nina conditions would mean more north-easterly winds, which bring moist conditions to the north-east of the North Island, and reduced rainfall to the south and south-west of the South Island.

Winding up on the sand

The Dominion Post | Friday, 09 January 2009

KENT BLECHYNDEN/The Dominion Post

Visiting players from Brazil, got their first taste of Wellington weather which turned out to be hot and not too windy yesterday as they prepared for this weekend's beach volleyball tournament at Oriental Bay.
Athletes Nina Zgoda, 22, and Fernanda Costa, 18, had not visited New Zealand before but they had heard tales about Wellington. "The first thing we heard was about the wind, that it is a windy city. When you play volleyball in the wind it means you have to be very patient.

34.6 - It was our hottest day on record!

10.01.2009  By Don Farmer   Wairarapa Times Age

Plenty of youngsters enjoying a dip at the Masterton pool. Photo: Matt Stewart

If you got a bit hot under the collar on Thursday there was a good reason, it was officially the hottest day on record in Wairarapa.

Temperatures peaked at 34.6 degrees Celsius recorded at the automatic weather station at Te Ore Ore, just east of Masterton and only fractionally lower at the East Taratahi climate station that recorded a top of 34.3 degrees at 5.30pm.

The previous highest official temperatures were 33.1 degrees at Te Ore Ore on a January day in 2006 and 34.1 in 2004 at East Taratahi.

Weather experts said it could be that people taking their own readings got an even higher result but the official temperatures had to be recorded using a strictly scientific method and proper recording equipment.

Andrew Tait, of NIWA in Wellington, said climate station thermometers are housed inside a Stevenson screen, or instrument shelter, that shields the instruments from direct heat radiation but allows air to circulate freely around them.

The wooden box with louvres is situated 1.2 metres above ground.

Wairarapa records have been taken at East Taratahi only since 1973 and at Te Ore Ore since 1992.

According to NIWA' s records the highest temperatures ever recorded anywhere in New Zealand were on February 7, 1973 when the mercury skyrocketed to 42.4 degrees Celsius at Rangiora in Canterbury and to 39.2 degrees at Ruatoria in the central North Island.

Both fall far short of the highest temperature recorded across the Tasman where 53 degrees Celsius in Cloncurry, Queensland, holds the record.

That temperature was recorded in 1889.  Abridged

Extreme weather starting to pressure insurance premiums

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 7:21p.m.  3News

The weather of 2008 had as much of an economic impact on us as an environmental one. Severe droughts and storms highlighted a year that proved to be both expensive and extreme.

“Climate change and weather related disasters are now probably the most significant thing that the insurance industry is dealing with,” says the Insurance Council’s Chris Ryan.

 “The biggest extreme in terms of cost to the country was the drought last summer, and that’s been estimated to have cost about a billion dollars in lost agricultural production,” says Dr Jim Renwick of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

MAF puts the cost at closer to $1.4 billion to the economy and Federated Farmers said the drought was out of the ordinary.

NIWA says last year’s severe droughts and flash flood are something we can expect more of.

And this will come at a cost.

“I think what climate change is doing now and the pressures it is putting on New Zealand is costing the insurance industry such a significant amount that premiums are almost certain to rise,” says Mr Ryan.

3 News

Slip, slop, slap or risk skin cancer

14.01.2009  Northern Advocate

It's especially important that children slip, slop, slap and wrap. Picture/supplied

by Lindy Laird

A fair-skinned person caught outside and unprotected in Whangarei today could, in less than 15 minutes, suffer a serious injury that will eventually prove fatal.

Niwa predicted that today's ultra violet (UV) index in Whangarei would be 13, or extreme. Most days in the past week have been over 10.

Without sunblock or shade, a fair-skinned person's skin would start to fry in less than 15 minutes, with a dark-skinned or Polynesian person taking possibly twice as long.

In 20 to 30 years, says Jim Callaghan from Cancer Society Northland, the result of that sunburn could be melanoma. In New Zealand 1800 new cases developed last year, and of the other less deadly forms of skin cancer, there were 45,000 new cases. Over 90 per cent of all skin cancers stem from sun damage. “It's usually childhood sunburn that causes the cancer that shows up later in life."

Niwa defines the "alert period" as the period when the clear sky ultra violet index forecast is greater than 3. When the UVI is 3, damage to fair skin can occur in less than 1 hour. When the UVI is 12, damage to fair skin can occur in less than 15 minutes.

Weather bomb hits the Bay

15.Jan 2009  BOP Times

PICTURE: BRUCE TAYLOR: Vehicles slow as they make their way on SH29 through the Kaimai Range about 5.50pm yesterday

Thunder, lightning and hail wreaked havoc across Katikati and the Kaimai Range last night, setting shelter belt trees alight, flooding buildings and causing chaos on the roads.

Katikati chief fire officer Joe Manukau said buildings and streets were flooded almost instantly.

"We just had a deluge, all in a matter of about an hour, then it was all over," he said.  Pipes and drains were quickly blocked, he said, prompting calls from property owners whose houses were flooding.  Abridged

31 foot launch hoisted by water spout

January 15, 2009  Newstalk ZB

A waterspout near Great Barrier Island has picked up a 31 foot launch and thrown it down on its side.

Occupants of vessels in Smokehouse Bay said there was no wind prior to the spout, but then at 10.50pm a "screaming wall of wind" came over the hill and everyone on the bay hunkered down for safety.

Coastguard says the launch was picked up and dumped on its side, leaving the two people aboard with cuts and bruises. The launch was reported to be taking on water but has suffered no serious damage.

The waterspout's arrival at Great Barrier Island followed an awe-inspiring electrical storm in the area that continued for well over an hour.

Lights, camera ... and action

4:00AM Friday Jan 16, 2009 NZ Herald Isaac Davison

Spectators watch from Narrowneck Beach in Devonport as lightning flashes in the Auckland sky. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It was the best show in town, and admission was free.

Herald photographer Brett Phibbs captured this remarkable image about 10.30 on Wednesday night as spectators on Narrowneck Beach in Devonport gazed at a spectacular lightning storm which swept the skies above Auckland.

At the storm's peak, 1200 lightning strikes an hour were recorded over the upper North Island, said the Weatherwatch Centre.

Metservice weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said the electrical storm was the result of sea breezes converging over the Coromandel Peninsula.

"Auckland had only a light breeze, with clear skies, but when this south-west wind met still air in the Coromandel, it produced a lot of moisture in the air, and a large storm.  It has been a while since we have had a large electrical storm. A lot of static electricity must have built up in the atmosphere."

RARE TWISTER SEEN OVER SUMNER

Ian Steward - Canterbury | Monday, 19 January 2009  The Cave (Website)

BENN CLEMENCE

"A particularly fine example'' of a waterspout near Scarborough Hill.

A waterspout that graced the Sumner skyline yesterday could have caused significant damage if it had made landfall, an expert says.

The rare atmospheric phenomenon, similar to a tornado, was spotted off Scarborough Beach about 10am yesterday.

Sumner resident Tim Clemence said he was surfing when he noticed the waterspout.  "It was absolutely phenomenal. It came down like a little finger out of the cloud. It went all silent and quiet eerily quiet. It just exploded when it hit the water. It looked like it was vacuuming the surface of the sea."

Clemence paddled back to shore to get a camera and the waterspout moved around Sumner Head towards Taylors Mistake and Lyttelton Harbour.

Blueskies Weather forecaster Tony Trewinnard said yesterday's "unstable" atmosphere, with temperature and wind structure supporting rapidly rising air currents, suited the development of the spout.

If some of those rapidly rising currents got a little bit of rotation from wind swirling off hills or cliffs, a vortex that gained in intensity and wind speed could form, he said.  Over water, the sea was sucked into the vortex, which made the air current visible.  If the waterspout had made landfall, it "would have caused some trouble", Trewinnard said.  "It's not going to cause mass destruction, but it would be enough to blow out windows or destroy sheds."

Trewinnard said the waterspout's narrow diameter 10 or 20 metres meant destruction would have been contained and selective.  Trewinnard said he had witnessed several waterspouts but yesterday's was "a particularly fine example".

Thunder storms lash Christchurch

Mon 19 Jan 2009 Newstalk ZB/One News

Almost 2,000 lightning strikes were recorded in Christchurch on Sunday when a  storm hit the city.  A combination of a low pressure system and hot summer sun caused the thunder storms, which was most severe between 3pm and 5pm.

The lightning strikes also caused several brief power outages across the city.

Large swathes of Canterbury have been pelted with hail and drenched by heavy rain in another freak summer storm.  More than 20 millimetres of rain fell in Christchurch and Ashburton, flooding streets and houses, and leaving hundreds of homes without power.

Storm gives city short sharp shock

SAM McKNIGHT - | Tuesday, 20 January 2009 Southland Times

JUST A QUICK SHOWER: A car ploughs through a flooded intersection of Tay and Lorn streets in Invercargill during Saturday's storm.

Thunder, lightning and rain lashed Invercargill on Saturday, inundating emergency services, causing widespread surface flooding and disrupting events across the city.

MetService severe weather forecaster Chris Noble said the storm dumped about 19mm on the city 30 minutes from 6pm, a significant amount in such a short time.

There were 160 lightning strikes, with many centred on the city, while one woman said she saw lightning strike Invercargill's landmark water tower.

NEW ZEALAND INSURANCE EXPECTED TO RISE AFTER STORMY 2008

January 20, 2009  TVNZ

Insurance can be costly, and it's about to get more expensive as the risk from climate related disasters increases due to global warming.
In 2008, five storms cost insurers more than $86 million with July seeing the highest number of storm related claims for a single month ever.  The first event was windstorms and flooding that affected nearly all parts of the North Island, costing $26 million.   It was followed three days later by another storm that caused even more damage to areas in the lower South Island and the North Island costing $42 million.

Later in the year a brief but intense hailstorm damaged around 3,500 vehicles, a number of house spoutings and conservatories, and many skylights in commercial buildings. "Insurers are still counting the cost of the November Canterbury hailstorms estimated to cost insurers between $10m to $12 million," says council insurance manager, John Lucas.
All the bad weather has experts estimating that insurance premiums will rise by 5% - 10% in 2009.

Hay days far from relaxing  

Nelson Mail 20 Jan 2009

Cut and dried: Steve Sangster hard at work bailing hay on a Brightwater property last week

This summer has been a bumper season for hay and baleage but it has not been without its stresses, reports Laura Basham. Making hay while the sun shines sounds good, but it also means fielding a lot of stressful phone calls.  The problem this summer has been that the sun did not shine much before Christmas, and while there has been a lovely three-week dry spell until last weekend, and bumper crops, there is also a backlog for contractors.  Abridged

Shine taken off town's pride

Thursday Jan 22, 2009 By Alanah May Eriksen  NZ Herald

Marketing manager Mary Hermanson wants Whakatane recognised as the sunniest town in New Zealand. Photo / Alan Gibson

Whakatane has demanded a recount after being disqualified from winning the coveted title of Sunshine Capital of New Zealand.  The annual accolade, described as a "million-dollar marketing opportunity", is highly contested among the country's hotspots.

Blenheim was awarded the gong by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) last week after it recorded 2505 hours of sunshine for 2008. But it may be stripped of its crown after scientists re-test Whakatane's readings.  The Eastern Bay of Plenty town recorded 2703 hours on their sunshine sensor last year and the council was hoping to back up the town's current slogan: Living with the sun. But Niwa decided the number was abnormally high and the town was disqualified.

After much protest from Eastern Bay economic development agency, Toi-EDA, Niwa checked the sensor on Tuesday and found no fault. Toi-EDA marketing manager Mary Hermanson said the equipment was only two years old and that particular model was purchased under the advice of Niwa so it couldn't be faulty.

She said the hours probably seemed high because the council only started recording in 2007 so there was not much to compare them to.

The decoder, on the roof of a building at the town's oxidation ponds, was purchased from Norway for about $5000 as part of a town fundraiser in September 2006 to get the town on the map. The machine sends information back to Whakatane District Council each day.

Whakatane came third in the sunny stakes in 2007 with 2550 hours. Blenheim again took the top position, followed by Lake Tekapo.

"It's just funny how when we came third no one questioned it but now that we had a chance at first, they come calling," Ms Hermanson said.

Mayor for the Marlborough District Council, which includes Blenheim, Alistair Sowman, said Whakatane had "come out of the blue a wee bit".

"Good luck to them. If they are the sunniest town I have no issue with it but it has to be a fair competition."

Niwa has said the machine could be measuring parts of cloudy days instead of completely cloudless hours.  It plans to install a second sunshine recorder, similar to the type used in Blenheim, next to the current one for a month.  If data from both machines is the same, Blenheim will be stripped of the title and Whakatane will be crowned sunniest spot in New Zealand.

Good as Gold

Marlborough Express, 23 Jan 2009 Blair Ensor

As the apricot season draws to a close, Marlborough Express reporter BLAIR ENSOR catches up with one of the few stone fruit growers left in Marlborough.  

Murray is the first to admit that it's been a below-par season, with cold weather and rain hampering pollination and lowering fruit volume.  An unusual cold snap in late August and early September kept the bees in their hives.  At other key times in the season, however, the weather was on his side.  Abridged

Hot weather staying around for anniversary party

 Saturday Jan 24, 2009  NZ Herald By Alanah May Eriksen

An orange sunset silhouettes a fisherman on Devonport Wharf. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The long weekend will be a perfect opportunity to hit the beach and catch some rays for most areas. Auckland Anniversary Day on Monday coincides with several events around the top of the North Island, leaving residents spoiled for choice.

MetService forecaster Andy Best said it would be mostly sunny skies in Auckland this weekend with maximum temperatures reaching 25C today, tomorrow and on Monday.

Clouds and light sea breezes expected in the area during the afternoon will make perfect conditions for Monday's Oceanbridge Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta on the Waitemata Harbour - the largest single-day regatta in the world, first held 169 years ago.

Phew! It ain’t half hot mum.
 Tues 27 Jan 2009  Ashburton Guardian 

Phew! It ain’t half hot mum. Those famous words from the 1970s British sitcom of the same name would have fitted in well with the searing summer heat which sapped the Ashburton District during the weekend.
Pool swimmers, beach-goers, campers, trampers, marching band members and anyone who ventured outside of the safety of their own home was hit by a wave of humid heat (33 degrees officially yesterday and 40% humidity, but there were unofficial reports that Darfield reached 35 degrees and Oxford hit 37).

AUST HEATWAVE SIGN OF CLIMATE CHANGE TVNZ/Reuters  29 Jan 2009

A heatwave scorching southern Australia, causing transport chaos by buckling rail lines and leaving more than 140,000 homes without power, is a sign of climate change, the government said.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a total of six days of 40-plus Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) temperatures for southern Australia, which would equal the worst heatwave in 100 years.

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said the heatwave, which started on Wednesday, was the sort of weather scientists had been warning about.  "Eleven of the hottest years in history have been in the last 12, and we also note, particularly in the southern part of Australia, we're seeing less rainfall," Wong told reporters.

"All of this is consistent with climate change, and all of this is consistent with what scientists told us would happen."

The maximum temperature in southern Australia on Thursday was 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 Fahrenheit) in four towns.

In Melbourne, which recorded its hottest day in 70 years at 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) on Thursday, rail lines buckled and trains were cancelled, stranding thousands of hot and angry commuters.

The heatwave forced the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne to suspend outside matches, with officials closing the retractable roof over the main stadium for the past two days.

Australia is one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change due to its hot, dry climate and is already gripped by drought. Fire bans have been declared in southern Australia to prevent major bushfires but small fires are already burning.

TV rivals fight to be first with Tauranga forecast

30.01.2009   BOPP Times by Reon Suddaby

The weather wars have broken out in Tauranga, with TV3 set to trump rival broadcaster TVNZ by giving the city its own spot on the 3 News weather forecast from tonight - and a weather camera is not far away either.

TV3 director of news and current affairs Mark Jennings this morning told the Bay of Plenty Times that Tauranga's growing population was the catalyst for the city getting its own detailed weather forecast, alongside Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Met Society Newsletter

 For a printable pdf of this newsletter: http://metsoc.rsnz.org/Newsletter/summer2009.pdf

Those members who have chosen the postal option will receive a hard copy of this in their “March” newsletter

Climate Summary for Summer 2008-09

Wet in many areas; mild and sunny in the North Island and northern South Island; heat wave in early February.

• Rainfall: Above normal in the north, west and south of the North Island, Marlborough, mid- and south Canterbury and Otago; below normal in Hawke’s Bay and Westport
• Temperature: Above average for most of the North Island and the north of the South Island; below average in mid- and south Canterbury, Otago and coastal Southland.
• Sunshine: Near normal for most of New Zealand; below normal in Otago and Southland

Summer rainfall was above normal (120 – 150% of normal) in parts of Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Manawatu, Wellington and Otago. Some locations in Marlborough and south Canterbury received nearly double their normal summer rainfall totals. Hawke’s Bay and Westport received between 50 and 80 percent of normal summer rainfall. Other areas received near normal rainfall for summer. Severe soil moisture deficits in many eastern areas of the country eased to near normal levels by the end of February.

Summer overall was warmer than average (by between 0.5 and 1.5°C) for most of the North Island and the north of the South Island. A significant heat wave was experienced in many parts of the country from 7 – 12 February, when several record high temperatures were set. Temperatures were below the long-term summer average by between 0.5 and 1.5°C throughout much of inland mid- and south Canterbury, Otago and coastal Southland. The national average temperature of 16.7 °C was 0.1 °C above average for summer.

December and January’s climate was dominated by more ‘highs’ (anticyclones) to the east of the country and more ‘lows’ (depressions) than normal in the Tasman sea, resulting in stronger than normal north-easterly winds over the country. In February, the first two weeks were very warm, associated with frequent warm north-westerly wind flows onto the country, whereas the last two weeks were dominated by more southerly airflows onto the South Island than normal for this time of year, which contributed to the cool temperatures in the south.

Major Highlights

• Heavy rain fell in Queenstown and on the West Coast overnight on 2 January. River levels in the Haast and Callery (near Franz Josef) Rivers rose quickly as a result. On 3 January, thunder and hail in Christchurch forced the postponement of the international cricket match against the West Indies, while large, 2 cm hailstones whipped across roads and buildings in Waipara, bringing traffic to a standstill, and denting cars.
• On 20 February, severe rain caused surface flooding in parts of Wellington, Levin, and Palmerston North, and caused raw sewage to overflow into central Wellington, the harbour, and Lyall Bay. In Tauranga, the severe rain caused the postponement of the Kapa Haka festival, the first time this had happened in 36 years. In South Canterbury and north Otago, surface flooding affected SH1 and SH8, and closed some minor roads.
• Several locations experienced record or near-record high summer maximum and minimum temperatures in the six day “heat wave” from the 7^th to the 12^th of February. The highest temperature during summer 2008/09 was 38.0°C recorded at Culverden on the 8^th of February (the highest summer maximum temperature for this location). The minimum temperature of 22.5°C at Tauranga airport on the night of the 10^th/11^thof February was the highest minimum for the country for summer (and the highest summer minimum temperature at that location since records began in 1941).
• The lowest temperature during summer was recorded at Hanmer Forest on 6 December where the minimum temperature was -1.7°C (not a summer record for this location). A cold southerly air flow persisted for three days from 11 – 14 February resulting in minimum temperatures of -1.0°C at Ranfurly, ‑0.6°C at Manapouri, 1.7°C at Queenstown and 1.9°C at Dunedin airport.
• Of the six main centres, Tauranga was the warmest and sunniest, Wellington the wettest, and Christchurch was the driest.

For further information, please contact:

Dr Andrew Tait – Climate Scientist a.tait@...

Dr James Renwick – Principal Scientist j.renwick@...

Michele Hollis – NIWA Communications Manager m.hollis@...

Acknowledgement of NIWA as the source is required. Copyright NIWA Science ©2009

NOTABLE WEATHER IN NEW ZEALAND - SUMMER 2008-09

This summer was a mixed bag, with spells of settled and often warm weather, but some unsettled periods as well. The second half of February was the most unsettled, with two major low pressure systems affecting the country.

DECEMBER 2008

·           2nd - Thunderstorms in Otago and Southland.

·           3rd - Heavy rain in Fiordland. 30C maximum in Hastings.

·           4th - Thunderstorms with heavy rain about and west of the Southern Alps. Cropp records 250mm; Mt Cook Village 296mm. Two Japanese climbers trapped by storm near summit of Mt Cook. (One dies before the other is rescued) 32C maximum in Napier; 31C in Kaikoura.

·           5th - A few heavy showers in Northland.

·           6th - Chilly start to day in inland South Island, eg -1C minimum at Hanmer Forest.

·           8th - Heavy rain in Fiordland and Westland, eg 130mm at Homer Tunnel, and 121mm at Cropp.

·           9th - Only 12C maximum in Ashburton, as a damp, cool southerly affects Canterbury.

·           12th - Cool 12C maximum in Dunedin in a southerly flow. (Overnight hail in city affects cricket pitch prior to test)

·           15th - Heavy rain (especially about the ranges) in west from Westland to Taranaki; also Nelson. (Maitai River close to flooding by evening) Cropp records 145mm; North Egmont 212mm.

·           19th - Heavy rain developing about and west of the Southern Alps. Totals through to 20th, include 369mm at Cropp, and 187mm at Arthurs Pass.

·           20th - Heavy rain in northwest of South Island; also some (welcome) heavy falls in Canterbury and North Otago. Fresh snow on Canterbury and Otago mountains, with 10cm locally settling as low as Mt Cook Village where maximum temperature is only 5C. Other unusually low daytime maximums include only 8C in Wanaka (lowest December maximum since records began in 1972), 9C in Queenstown and Darfield, and 10C in Oamaru, Timaru and Dunedin.

·           21st - Only 12C maximum in Ashburton in a light southerly flow.

·           24th - Welcome rain in east of North Island.

·           25th - Rather chilly Christmas day about east coast of South Island. Only 12C maximum in Dunedin, and 13C maximums in Timaru and Ashburton.

·           28th - Very warm day in many eastern parts of South Island. 32C maximum in Culverden; 31C In Timaru; 30C in Dunedin.

·           29th - 33C maximum in Culverden; 31C in Alexandra.

·           30th - 31C maximum in Hanmer.

JANUARY 2009

·           1st-3rd - Storms, including gales, thunder, hail and a small tornado. (see details below)

·           4th - Chilly 3C minimum in Taupo.

·           8th - Very high temperatures in many areas, especially in east. 37C maximums recorded at Waione (Wairarapa), Culverden and Hillmorton. (Christchurch) January records include 30C in Ohakune and 36C in Cheviot.

·           9th - Wind gusts (reported in some media as small tornado) causes damage at Bannockburn, Central Otago.

·           10th - Heavy rain in central NZ areas exposed to northwest. Some heavy showers in Auckland in afternoon, due to sea-breeze convergence.

·           11th/12th - Welcome rain in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, with heavy falls about the ranges of northern Hawkes Bay and Gisborne.

·           12th -14th - Afternoon thunderstorms in northern and central North Island; also inland Buller on 13th. A line of severe thunderstorms from west of Taupo north to Great Barrier Island on afternoon and evening of 14th. Heavy downpours cause surface flooding in some places, plus heavy hail disrupts travel across Kaimai Range between Tauranga and Waikato. (giving a snow-like appearance to the countryside) Waterspout gust lifts boat out of water at Great Barrier. Aucklanders are able to watch a spectacular lightning display out to the east in the evening.

·           15th - Very warm day in many inland areas of South island, eg 34C maximum in Hanmer; 32C in Alexandra.

·           16th - 33C maximum in Ashburton; 32C in Dunedin. Heavy rain in Fiordland, eg 101mm at Milford Sound.

·           18th - Waterspout visible offshore from Sumner, Christchurch in morning. Afternoon thunder and hail storms in Canterbury; lightning causing some power outages near Christchurch. Torrential rain and hail results in surface flooding in Ashburton.

·           21st - Northwesterly gales in the far south. Gust of 130 km/ph recorded at Southwest Cape is highest ever recorded in NZ during January.

·           23rd-26th - Warm spell in eastern areas. Maximums include 35C (or 37C?) in Culverden (24th); 35C in Darfield (25th); and 33C in Ashburton and Blenheim. (25th)

·           27th - Cool southerly brings considerable drop in temperature; some 15-20C cooler than previous few days in many eastern parts of South Island. (only 13C maximum in Gore).

·           28th - Overnight 2C minimums in Waiouru and Middlemarch, in wake of cool southerly airmass.

·           31st - Very warm in many eastern areas, eg 35C maximum in Hanmer; 33C maximums in Ashburton, Masterton, and Hastings.

FEBRUARY

·           1st - Hot day in east of North Island, with record highs of 37C in Napier, Hastings and Wairoa; also 35C maximum in Gisborne. Combination of heat and strong northwesterly winds fan bush fire near Mahia. Very warm also in Malborough and Canterbury (34C maximum in Kaikoura; 33C in Christchurch), but cool southerly change in afternoon sends temperatures dropping to the high teens.

·           2nd - 30C maximum in Kerikeri, but cooler airmass in wake of southerly keeps maximums to only 13C in Darfield and Gore.

·           5th - Wanganui reaches 29C under a fohn northeasterly.

·           6th - 30C maximums at Dunedin and Christchurch Airports.

·           7th - Very warm in many areas, with record maximums in several places, eg 31C  Kaitaia and Kaikohe,  32C in Whitianga, 30C in Ohakune. High temperatures in many inland parts of Canterbury (eg 38C maximums in Culverden and Cheviot) only surpassed by February 1973 record maximums.

·           8th - Warm air from Australia results in high temperatures in many eastern areas, eg 34C maximum in Masterton, and 33C maximums in Alexandra and Dunedin. The airflow also carries smoke from deadly bushfires in Victoria into the higher atmosphere, resulting in a brownish tinge to the skies.

·           9th - Still very warm in many eastern areas, eg 30C maximum at Le Bons Bay.

·           10th - Very humid in north of North Island, after warm, muggy night (overnight minimum of 23C in Auckland). Heavy rain in central NZ; some surface flooding in Palmerston North (49mm in 5 hours) and Wanganui. (55mm in 6 hours) Only 13C maximum in Timaru, as east of South Island is under a cool airmass and cloud.

·           11th - Very warm in some northern parts of North Island, with 31C maximums in Thames and Paeroa.

·           12th - Heavy rain in central NZ, eg 174mm at Angle Knob and 162mm at North Egmont. Some surface flooding in Wellington. Rather chilly in Canterbury under a damp southerly.

·           13th - Cold southerly flow affects east and south of the South Island and south of North Island, resulting in only 13C maximums in Kaikoura, Christchurch Airport, and Invercargill. Hanmer is even colder, reaching only 9C. Light snow on southern ranges, including Remarkables and reported on higher peaks of Stewart Island.

·           14th - Chilly start to the day in the south in wake of previous day's southerly; 2C minimum in Middlemarch and 4C in Alexandra. Auckland area shivers with unseasonable 14-15C temperatures (rising later to about 18C, while Pukekohe records its lowest February maximum of 16C) under cloud and showers from a frontal disturbance.

·           15th - Chilly dawn again in many areas, with 2C minimum in Waiouru and 4C in Masterton.

·           16th - Only 13C maximum in Ashburton, as cool southerly flow spreads over South Island.

·           18th - Cool onshore northeasterly about east coast of South Island; only 13C maximum at Le Bons Bay.

·           19th - Localised rainstorm overnight causes flash flooding in Ohope, Bay of Plenty.

·           20th- 23rd - Heavy rain causes flooding and other disruption to several areas. (see details below)

·           24th - Only 11C maximums in Gore and Darfield and 12C in Dunedin, thanks to a cool southerly flow. Scattered heavy showers about northern and central NZ, with some thunderstorms about Taupo and eastern Bay of Plenty.

·           27th February to 1st March - Another low pressure system delivers heavy rain and gales. (see details below)

MAJOR EVENTS

1st-3rd January - Storms, including gales, thunder, hail and a small tornado

While many parts of NZ enjoyed a fine, warm start to the New Year, a cold front in a strong northwesterly flow crossed the South Island with rain on the West Coast. A brief spell of severe gales (downbursts?) lashed the Lake Brunner area about 4am, forcing campers to flee. Northwesterly gales also caused some damage and disruption in parts of Canterbury and Kaikoura.

Weak ridging lessened the northwesterly flow over the country later in the day, but during the 2nd, an active trough moved onto the South Island with heavy rain about and west of the Alps. (river levels rose quickly)

This system crossed the North Island the next day, with a colder southwesterly flow spreading onto the South Island, bringing fresh snow to the mountains. The change delivered thunderstorms and hail to many eastern parts of the island. In Christchurch, thunderstorm activity halted the cricket and briefly disrupted airport operations, while a belt of heavy hail damaged crops in a line from about Darfield to Amberley. Lightning also resulted in several power cuts in the Dunsandel and Lincoln areas. Further south, a small tornado was reported to have caused some damage in Waikouaiti, East Otago.

Conditions eased by evening, as the weakening trough moved onto the North Island.

Mean sea level analyses for midday NZDT 31 December 2008 to midnight 3rd January 2009 in 12 hour steps are shown here.

20th- 23rd February - Heavy rain causes flooding and other disruption to several areas

A deep low pressure system resulted in heavy rain and flooding to several areas during this period.

The system, incorporating the remnants of tropical cyclone Innis, had moved into the central Tasman Sea on the 19th and then onto the South Island on the 20th, deepening as it did so. Fronts moving out from it brought heavy rain to the north and west of the North Island and also the top of the South Island. In Tauranga, the rain caused the postponement of the Kapa Haka festival (first time in 36 years), but the worst disruption was in the southwest of the North Island. Flooding affected Palmerston North, Levin, and Wellington. (where sewage overflowed in places, including the central city)

Meanwhile, in the northeasterly flow to the southeast of the low, heavy rain also affected the east of the South Island. This quickly eased in northern and central Canterbury, but persisted through to the next day in South Canterbury and North Otago, as the low remained slow-moving. Surface flooding was reported in places. Westland also received heavy rain on the 21st.

During the 22nd and 23rd, the low pressure system moved only slowly southeastwards, but weakened. Rain persisted over southern parts of the South Island in a chilly southeasterly flow (10-12C maximums in many places), though the falls weren't heavy.

Mean sea level analyses for midday NZDT 19 February to midnight 23 February in 12 hour steps are shown here.

 27th February to 1st March - Another low pressure system deliver heavy rain and gales

The summer ended with another low moving in from the north and dumping heavy rain in many areas, especially the North Island.

A northeasterly flow already covered NZ on the 27th, while a low deepened to the north of the North Island. Heavy rain set in over the far north later in the day.

On the 28th, this low moved only slowly southwards to the west of the North Island, while an anticyclone remained slow moving to the east of the South Island. Heavy rain affected the north of North Island, with two day totals including 103mm at Cape Reinga, 132mm in Kerikeri, 158mm in Kaikohe, and 120mm in Te Puke. Surface flooding was extensive in many areas, causing disruption to roads and outdoor events, though no major damage eventuated.

Gale force winds were another feature of this storm, with gusts reaching 122 km/hr at Cape Reinga on 27th, and 83 km/hr in Tauranga and 70 km/hr in Hamilton on the 28th. However, these winds didn't cause any major damage.

On the 1st March, the low moved further south to lie over the southern South Island by the end of the day. Some heavy rain fell in Westland and Fiordland, but the weather eased elsewhere over the country.

Mean sea level analyses for midday NZDT 27 February to midnight 1 March in 12 hour steps are shown here.

MONTHLY WEATHER NOTES FOR CHRISTCHURCH - SUMMER 2008-09

DECEMBER 2008

While this month was often warm and sunny, there were some unsettled periods. Several troughs crossed over, bringing some light rain and drizzle at times. More significant rain fell on the 19th and 20th, with some heavy falls on the latter day, as a cold southerly flow covered Canterbury. (snow fell on the Alps) By contrast, the period from Boxing Day onwards was dry and settled.

JANUARY 2009

The month, apart from two thunderstorms, was mostly warm and sunny in Christchurch. Indeed, temperatures on the 8th (37C was recorded at a Hillmorton station) were the hottest in the city since the record 41C heat of February 1973. On the other hand, the storms of the 3rd and the 18th delivered thunder and hail to many parts of the city and environs, with surface flooding in places and damage to some crops. Earlier on the 18th, a waterspout was seen offshore from Scarborough Head.

FEBRUARY 2009

The first third of the month saw settled and often warm weather, with temperatures reaching the low 30s on a few occasions. However, the remainder of the month was much more unsettled and cooler was several low pressure systems and onshore flows. Maximums only in the low teens were recorded on the 13th during a cold southerly flow. The wettest days were the 20th and 28th, with moist east to northeast airflows connected to lows crossing to the west.

Minutes of a

Special General Meeting of the

 Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.)

Wednesday, March 17th, 2009,

 NIWA, Greta Point, Wellington

The meeting opened at 2:05pm

The meeting was chaired by Mike Revell (President) and the minutes have been written by Sam Dean (Secretary).

1. Attendance

Andrew Tait                 Andrew Laing              Mike Revell                 Sam Dean

John Sansom               Errol Laithwaite           Duncan Ackerley         Craig Thompson

Brett Mullan                 Rowena Moss              Sylvia Nicol                 Mike Harvey

Murray Poulter             Rupert Wood               Trevor Carey-Smith     Alan Porteus

Cliff Revell                  Katrina Richards          James Renwick

2. Apologies

Kim Dirks, John Hickman

3. Other Matters

Change of Constitution.

Mike Revell explained that the society was applying to be a charity and that this would mean that the society would no longer have to pay hundreds of dollars each year in taxes. The Metsoc’s application had been declined because the clause in the constitution relating to the dissolution of the society was inadequate. The special general meeting was called to amend the constitution to a form that was suggested by the Charities Commission. There was discussion on the wording of the final sentence which had been added by Sam.  

Sam Dean then put forward the motion that:

Section 18 of the constitution, which currently states:  “In the event of dissolution of the Society the disposition of any assets shall be decided at the last General Meeting provided that any property whatsoever shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Society”.

Be replaced in its entirety by the words:

“If any property remains after winding up or dissolution of the Society  and the settlement of all the Societies debts and liabilities, that  property must be given or transferred to another organisation that is  charitable under New Zealand law or for some other charitable purpose  recognised under New Zealand law. The recipient organisation shall be decided at the last General Meeting.”

The motion was seconded by Mike Revell and carried unanimously.

With no other business put forward the meeting was declared closed at 2:15pm.

REGIONAL REPORTS

AUCKLAND

Richard McKenzie of NIWA, a world authority on UV from Lauder, is giving a talk on 7 April at 12.30pm in the NIWA Conference Room, 41 Market Place, Viaduct Basin, Auckland Central.

Title: "How to balance your benefits and risks of solar UV exposure" or "Balancing Risk and benefits of UV exposure"

WELLINGTON

As part of the special general meeting at NIWA, Greta Point,  held on Wednesday the 17th of March the Wellington branch of the Meteorological Society organised two 15 minute seminars. The first was by Mike Revell on the meteorology of the Australian bush fires and the second by James Renwick on the cause of shifting storm tracks under global warming.

WAIRARAPA WEATHER WATCHERS (by Alex Neale)

In February about 16 members attended our third meeting of the summer season. The topic was based on a recent article in Weather dealing the Space Weather. While it was outside the comfort zone of most at the meeting including myself, it certainly generated more interest than I expected. In particular one member, who is involved with radio communications, found he enjoyed the relationship between events in the ionosphere and the meeting, at the stratopause, of ionospheric and meteorological interests.

Any past Wellington Weather Watchers may be interested to know that I recently met Bill Lees (now of Melbourne and now a Wairarapa Weather Watchers member) who was remarking on how the climate in Melbourne has changed resulting in the increased temperatures recently being experienced - and that was not long before the recent extreme heatwave and fires!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 

Annual Conference

Our next annual conference will be held

2 - 4 September 2009 at the University of Auckland jointly with the NZ Marine Sciences Society

Early registration and abstracts for presentations are due 1 June 2009

Venue

The venue is to be the Owen Glenn Building, University of Auckland.  Deadline is 1^st June for submission of abstracts for offers of presentations (talks and posters) and early registration. The conference dinner will be on Friday 4^th September.

Theme

The broad theme is ‘Oceans and climate', but we look forward to presentations from a broad range of professional and student investigators.

Sponsors

Sponsors help by suppling venues, support services, student registration grants, student prizes, and special offers for attendees. Suggestions for sponsors and organisations who may wish to hire display stand space are welcome.  Please contact any member of the organising committee or the NZMSS council.

Organising Committee

Megan Stewart (ARC); Sandra Hinni and Emily Jones (Golder); Steve O’Shea (AUT); Mark Costello (Chair), Richard Taylor (UoA Leigh Marine Lab); Jim Salinger (Met Soc); Mary Livingston (MFish); David Raubenheimer (Massey); Kim Dirks (Met Soc); Paul Kench (UoA SGGES); Kendall Clements (UoA SBS); Dan McClary (Golder); Ann McCrone (DoC); Tom Trnski (Auckland Museum); and graduates Mark Fitzpatrick, Emily Duder, Elliot Brown, Jenni Stanley, Corinne Klein (UoA Marine Science); Kyle Morgan (UoA SGGES); Gabriel Machovsky (Massey).