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SOUTHERLY BUSTER RATTLES CANTERBURY!

WeatherWatch.co.nz

 

An impressive display of wildfire, sheet and fork lightning combined with heavy rain, a southerly gale and pea and marble sized hail, rocked Cantabrians last night
A storm of this magnitude hasn’t been seen in the region for quite some time and caught forecasters and the general public unaware.
Power outages were reported in Rolleston and Rangiora and the city suburbs of Burwood, New Brighton and Shirley were the first to feel the impact of the imposing front.

Timaru, Ashburton, Oamaru and inland areas of Canterbury also didn’t escape the onslaught, with reports of lightning and hail in a number of areas.

Nor’ west gales preceded the pyrotechnics event and were gusting in excess of 120 kph near Oxford with temperatures climbing into the low 20’s
throughout the day. Nor’ West gales were also felt in Christchurch and gusting to 90kph. With the arrival of the Southerly Buster and with winds also gusting up to
90 kph, temperatures plummeted by 8 degrees within a 30 minute time frame.

Little reports of damage have been reported and the activity was over in about 90 minutes

The Spring extremes have been felt none moreso than in Christchurch as the city has woken up to a 4 degree frost this morning but today the temperatures should be back up to the 20’s, however tomorrow another
Southerly change is due and will Cantabrians see another early fireworks display?

STORY BY SOUTH ISLAND WEATHER ANALYST RICHARD GREEN

 

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