A fine morning, some weaker than yesterday mist patches around,especially south of here. Later in morning some cloud forming around the Port hills, weak cumulus forms that developed later to a congestus state. Inland NW of here I noticed some congestus forms as well from early afternoon. A southerly wind was blowing at Halswell whilst east of Barrington Street, it was NE and I thought a convergence was imminent. It was, but weak however but more so was the sferics on the radio which was increasing from 2pm. Sky 'filling in'  and dark to the NW with Cb cloud top spilling westward over us. A few drips out of this. Further observation as the afternoon was wearing on was beginning to become obscured, a Northerly developed turning more easterly later here and this with the low cloud cover hindered any observation from my house here.

John Gaul
President
NZTS - more than just thunder

No thunderstorms forecast today surprise surprise, but they did happen! I didn't expect to much out of today but when I looked out the shop window I saw crisp Cu beggining to develop over the Port Hills. I went to investigate on the Waltham Road overbridge with camera in hand. I snapped a few photos of some Cu congestus type cloud and on the Canterbury plains to the NW of me there was some other Cu which I took a photo of. The congestus over the Port Hills didn't manage to get anywhere but that small bit of Cu to the NW of me on the plains did!

I went off and came back about an hour (mayby an hour and a half) later. During this time I noted Metservice had revised there forecast to include inland thunderstorms for Canterbury. I looked out onto the plains NW of me and was greeted by a large Cb with its anvil hung over Christchurch city, there was some other Cb's further in the distance plus some Cu congestus. Amazing looking stuff! I couldn't see any lightning from my location as I was to far away but there was most definately lightning and thunder associated with this storm, this could be told due to all the scferix on the am radio (all those crackly sounds when lightning discharges, it affects the radio waves and causes interferance). I wish I could say more but I wasn't close enough to the storm to see any displays of any sorts. Enjoy the Pics! 

 

John Gaul President of the NZTS said on the NZweather Forum:

I had reports of thunderstorms around the Hawarden/Waikari area from friends of Bob Crowder (fellow NZTS member) up that way. Heavy rainfall but no hail.
Yes, intersesting convergence line devolped before the scuddy low cloud rolled in hindering whatever development which could of occured !!!

Another freind of mine Stephen Burrows said he thought he heard thunder when working near Northlands Mall Christchurch. 

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