Mega Storm Watch!

[Tia Maria]

Not sure where to put this thread so put it in activities!

There is a giant storm heading our way:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10674150

A storm the size of Australia is hitting New Zealand with winds of 130km/h around Wellington and heavy snow falling in parts of Westland.

And I thought it would be interesting for people in different parts of NZ to chart it's progress and effects - photos would be cool too!

Cheers

Tia

[Tia Maria]

Location: Auckland
Time: 12.50pm Friday

The wind is blowing everything around the garden and the blue skies have gone!

Cheers

Tia

[Duncan74]

Still wearing sunnies and a t-shirt in Tauranga. Although the skies are looking menacing. Yesterday on the otherhand I struggled to manage my lunchtime run around the running track, fine on the home straight, but I genuinely struggled to run into the wind on the back straight and every lap the wind blew my earphones out! Was a really warm wind though.

[ralf-nz]

We are fine here and supposedly (see this picture http://metservice.com/national/index ) it will stay like that.


ODT published the below around 11am today:

"Snow, hail storms and high winds are disrupting roads in the South as the first wave of a heavy storm system hits.

Fiordland has so far borne the brunt of the storm, which is forecast to intensify later today and tomorrow, with 20cm of snow falling in Milford overnight, MetSetvice said.

The Milford road, closed because of snow between the Milford village and Hollyford turnoff on Wednesday, remains closed.

Elsewhere motorists have been told to carry chains on the Lindis Pass, in Central Otago, which is closed to towing vehicles because of snow.

Similar restrictions are in place on the Haast Pass and further north on SH73 from Arthurs Pass to Otira.

Heavy hail storms on the West Coast this morning have prompted a warning from the New Zealand Transport Agency for drivers on SH6 between Franz Josef and Fox Glacier to take extra care.

A further warning has been issued for SH87 between Outram and Kyeburn because of high winds."

[GrumpyGoat]

Christchurch has been raining, sunshine and now partly cloudy.

No winds so far.

I hope this natural disaster passes us by--I am still dealing with the last big one.

[KelvinAng]

I've never seen so many windsocks on this map, ever! And from past experience, whenever a windsock appears where I am, I know I won't want to be outdoors, or drive my van, or ride my bike...

[GrumpyGoat]

I was a little surprised to see the windsock (in place of a sun or cloud) yesterday on the forecast.

what is scary about the winds is how fast they just appear. like a hurricane hit town.

[72andsunny]

Hastings Friday 2:00 PM: Sunny, a little chillier than it has been, getting pretty windy.

[Tia Maria]

Location: Auckland
Time: 2.15pm Friday

I think the term is 'chucking it down'.....

Cheers

Tia

[James 1077]

It is the most boring video on You Tube but the Metservice are saying that the media are hyping it up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClRSr2-EisE