Storm Australian Severe Weather Forum

Severe Weather Discussion => Tornado Alley Outbreaks and Severe Weather Worldwide => Topic started by: nzstorm on 12 May 2009, 08:55:33 AM

Title: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: nzstorm on 12 May 2009, 08:55:33 AM

We have been getting the odd thunderstorm over northern New Zealand last few days with all the cold upper air. There was a real beauty in Tauranga today. Check out this link.

http://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/content/huge-hail-storm-hits-bay-plenty (http://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/content/huge-hail-storm-hits-bay-plenty)

Title: RE: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: nzstorm on 12 May 2009, 08:59:25 AM

Photo of squally storm near Auckland last Friday morning.

Title: RE: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: nzstorm on 12 May 2009, 09:18:20 AM

And a tornado at Warkworth north of Auckland today. This one did a bit of damage.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/rodney-times/2402006/Tornado-sweeps-through-Warkworth (http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/rodney-times/2402006/Tornado-sweeps-through-Warkworth)

Title: RE: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: Michael Bath on 13 May 2009, 01:01:28 AM

Nice set of pictures Steven - that's one very impressive waterspout !

(http://australiasevereweather.com/temp/forum/200905_nz_tornado1.jpg)
image source (http://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/content/huge-hail-storm-hits-bay-plenty)


Do you know if the images and articles on those websites tend to be removed over time ?

Title: RE: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: Jimmy Deguara on 13 May 2009, 03:39:41 AM

This tornado looks to be under a rotating wall cloud (was it a supercell by any chance?). Pretty nice structure and strong looking tornado. Low bases obviously too!

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

Title: RE: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: nzstorm on 13 May 2009, 03:46:00 AM

I think it may have been a low end supercell.  Upper flow was NW up to 40kts at 500mb and surface wind was N15kts. That suggests some helicity there. But the environment was cold with 500mb temps around -28C so the steep lapse rates had a lot to do with the waterspouts.  I am a bit annoyed I didn't make the 2 hr drive across to the Tauranga as it's a favoured area for this development.

Another shot here of a second waterspout taken from Maketu:

(http://australiasevereweather.com/temp/forum/200905_nz_tornado2.jpg)
image source (http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/storm-lashes-bay-plenty-2726755/photos)

Title: RE: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: David C on 13 May 2009, 11:48:18 AM

Quote from: nzstorm on 13 May 2009, 03:46:00 AM

I think it may have been a low end supercell.  Upper flow was NW up to 40kts at 500mb and surface wind was N15kts. That suggests some helicity there. But the environment was cold with 500mb temps around -28C so the steep lapse rates had a lot to do with the waterspouts.  I am a bit annoyed I didn't make the 2 hr drive across to the Tauranga as it's a favoured area for this development.

Another shot here of a second waterspout taken from Maketu:

(http://australiasevereweather.com/temp/forum/200905_nz_tornado2.jpg)
image source (http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/storm-lashes-bay-plenty-2726755/photos)

Awesome Steven,   any radar? I agree, it looks mesocyclonic based on visuals.

Title: Re: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: Michael Bath on 14 May 2009, 01:35:26 AM

Here is another photo of the same tornado taken from Papamoa Beach, which is about 10ks NW of Maketu (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Maketu,+new+zealand&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=55.623725,69.345703&ie=UTF8&ll=-37.756058,176.456223&spn=3.139878,4.334106&z=8)

(http://australiasevereweather.com/temp/forum/200905_nz_tornado3.jpg)
image source (http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/storm-lashes-bay-plenty-2726755/photos)

Title: Re: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: Michael Bath on 14 May 2009, 01:42:33 AM

Some videos of the hail and tornadoes

papamoa big hail storm 11 may 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcBO366kzeU#lq-lq2-hq)

Large Water Spout off Papamoa Beach New Zealand (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDsnOWO1qE#lq-lq2-hq)

Title: Re: Huge waterspout / tornado and hailstorm in Tauranga, New Zealand
Post by: nzstorm on 21 May 2009, 11:44:07 AM

Another waterspout of Tauranga this evening Wednesday 20th.