We’ve looked back at the best photos of 2008 sent in to WeatherWatch.co.nz!

The photos that you sent in have been a crucial part of the site and have often helped show the true extent of the current weather.

Below are our favourite weather images of 2008.   To see all the photos check out out our Galleries page.

 

July Snow Storm

In July this year snow fell to almost sea level across the North Island.

Snow closed a number of North Island roads and fell on the hills around Palmerston North.

This stunning photo (left) as taken at the Tararua wind farm near Palmerston North.  Around 5 to 10cms of snow on the ground.  Photo by Kyla Leary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July was a stormy month across the country.  Top left, waves crashing at Bach Beach, Taranaki.  Photo by our Weather Watch reporter Greg Taylor.  Top right, a neighbours tree comes crashing on top of a car.  Photo, and car, by Leigh Stevens!

Click “Read More” for rest of our top picks!

Bottom left, after the first Waikato drought in most people’s lives heavy rains in July lead to massive floods.  Over 400mm in 24 hours fell across the Coromandel Peninsula ranges.  Below is a flooded paddock in the Maratoto Valley near Paeroa.  Photo courtesy Remco Remmelink.   Bottom right Taken on Princes Wharf Auckland during the storm of 26 July 2008 when winds were gusting to 135 kph. Photo (c) Jachin Mandeno.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course not all of 2008’s weather was violent!    The sunset below was taken this month by Auckland photographer Chris Gin.  Taken from Hillsborough.

Below left, some welcome sun on a showery winters day in Northland.  Laura Jerome.  Bottom right, the dawn of a new day – and the dawn of a new Goverrnment.  Photo taken over the Northern Tauranga Harbour at sunrise, by Glen Crawford at his home in Tanners Point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve seen some striking cloud, fog and mist images sent through to us this year.  The clouds can be so different from day to day.

Below are a selection of our best cloud photos sent through to weatherwatch.co.nz.  

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

Top Left – An artistic shot of the sun shining through the trees and mist – taken at the grounds of St. John of God hospital 13th August.  Image/John Gaul NZTS  .  Top right – dome clouds hugging Mt Taranaki – Allen Pidwell.

Bottom left – Taken from Lower Hutt, late afternoon, the only clouds in the sky at the time, by Debbie Houlahan.  Bottom right – towering clouds above Wellington railway station back in Winter.  Photo by weather watcher Robert Holdsworth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below – amazing sunrise over the hills behind Te Anau by Laura Jerome 26th May.  

Thank you to EVERYONE who uploaded photos across 2008.  They are simply fantastic.  We hope to add improvements later in 2009 including a section to rate pictures – and next year we hope to have a competition in which we’ll give away prizes!  

Happy New Year!  From Richard Green, Philip Duncan and the team of Weather Watch reporters in all our main centres across the country.