Thunderstorms head south to sea
Thunderstorms rumbling over the lower North Island were short-lived yesterday.
Scattered thunderstorms and hail were forecast for yesterday afternoon and expected to continue into the early evening.
However, by 4pm MetService said the weather had since been pushed into Cook Strait to head south toward Marlborough.
Weather warnings continued for Horowhenua, Manawatu and Rangitikei.
Earlier, residents of Taihape, Whanganui, the Ka¯ piti Coast and Wellington were warned that the storms could become severe, bringing heavy rain with localised downpours of between 25 and 40 millimetres per hour, and ‘‘significant hail’’.
‘‘Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips,’’ the MetService said.
Later, meteorologist Tui McInnes said that while the thunderstorms over the capital were ‘‘long gone’’, there were more storm patterns developing across the country.
He said thunderstorm warnings often only lasted for an hour, as they did in Wellington. ‘‘They’re very transient events.’’
McInnes said earlier yesterday there was a chance areas with thunderstorm warnings could experience winds up to 110kmh, hail 20mm in diameter and those persistent weather conditions could lead to the chance of a tornado – although there was no sign of one developing.
McInnes said people should keep up to date with weather warnings as tornadoes were known to build rapidly.
While the sun was shining, though, Wellingtonians were out in the thousands for the annual Thorndon Fair. This year’s street event expected more than 20,000 people and 250 stallholders.
It was graced with clear skies and warm conditions.
The fair is an annual fundraiser for Thorndon School.