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Home / New Zealand

Christchurch battered by wild weather pelting the South Island

NZ Herald
20 Nov, 2019 03:46 AM3 mins to read

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      Lighting strikes frighteningly close to an Emirates A380 aircraft in Christchurch. Video / Garden City Helicopters

      Christchurch has been battered by wild weather which has lashed the South Island this afternoon.

      Metservice has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Christchurch city, Canterbury Plains, North Otago and Central Otago, with the storms expected to be accompanied by large hail, damaging wind gusts and even tornadoes.

      A Fire and Emergency (Fenz) spokesman said they had responded to nearly 40 call-outs from midday today in the South Island.

      Thirty of those were in Timaru, where hailstones as big as golf balls pelted the streets and thunderclaps echoed through the city.

      ⛈700 strikes in the last two hours⛈
      With more to come! Stay up to date with our latest Severe Thunderstorm Warnings here https://t.co/qHyE5zhh6X and keep an eye on the radar here https://t.co/1rQfBmVPzQ
      The safest place is indoors - don't shelter under trees ^Lewis pic.twitter.com/tcneAiA3Lg

      — MetService (@MetService) November 20, 2019
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      A Christchurch local told the Herald enormous hailstones were denting cars parked on the street.

      A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Canterbury for this afternoon and early evening. A warning has been issued for the thunderstorm that formed over Timaru, and is now moving northeast. Find all the info at: https://t.co/qHyE5zhh6X pic.twitter.com/XpyynsPnMu

      — MetService (@MetService) November 19, 2019

      A Metservice spokesperson said these thunderstorms could be incredibly damaging.

      "Large hail can cause significant damage to crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses and vehicles, and make driving conditions hazardous.

      "Very strong wind gusts can break branches from trees, damage roofing, and make driving hazardous especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.

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      "Tornadoes can blow out windows, lift roofs, break large branches off trees, generate dangerous flying debris and blow vehicles off the road."

      The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management advises that as storms approach you should:

      • Take shelter, preferably indoors away from windows;

      • Avoid sheltering under trees, if outside;

      Discover more

      New Zealand

      Watch: Plane's near-miss with lightning during wild weather

      20 Nov 06:25 AM

      • Get back to land, if outdoors on the water;

      • Move cars under cover or away from trees;

      • Secure any loose objects around your property;

      • Check that drains and gutters are clear;

      • Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving.

      During and after the storm, you should also:

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      • Beware of fallen trees and power lines;

      • Avoid streams and drains as you may be swept away in flash flooding.

      Parts of the South Island's east coast have already been battered with hail the size of golf balls and torrential downpours as a front moves north.

      Over 4️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ lightning strikes from Ashburton to Christchurch between 2:00-3:00 pm ⚡ pic.twitter.com/EF7NIRo2Kj

      — NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) November 20, 2019
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