A timelapse recording of the atmospheric effects of a solar storm seen across the Hawke's Bay skyline. Video / Timothy Jones
Kiwis flocked to vantage points around the country last night in a bid to catch a glimpse of the aurora lights.
Experts said a new “solar tsunami” was due last night, meaning swathes of the country were potentially in for another dazzling light show, including northern parts of New Zealand.
A man in Wellington said hundreds of cars descended on the Red Rocks car park on the south coast in the hope of seeing the aurora last night
He described the situation as “complete chaos”.
While traffic was moving, it was slow, with many cars trying to reverse out of the dead-end car park near Ōwhiro Bay.
The man said there was no sign of the aurora - “nah, nothing” - and he doubted it would be visible at all due to the intense light generated by all the cars.
Hundreds of cars jam the Red Rocks car park on Wellington's south coast in a bid to see the aurora.
Otago University physics professor Craig Rodger told the Herald that Aucklanders were in luck, with the US Space Weather Prediction Centre (SWPC) forecasting another G5 solar storm from 9pm last night.
Rodger initially said Tāmaki Makaurau was set to miss out on the once-in-a-decade event, but now a new “solar tsunami” could mean northern skies may well see another aurora.
Transpower said it had restored electricity to all circuits taken out of action during the weekend, because of concern they could be damaged during the solar storm,
“[We] had switched off some circuits across the country on Saturday as a precaution,” the power company said.
It said all affected circuits returned online at 4am without any problems, and there had been no power cuts.
Transpower extended the notice on Sunday to early this morning due to the extreme solar storm when further activity was notified.
Stargazers across New Zealand were treated on Saturday night to an incredible display of dazzling light across the southern skies.
The Herald was inundated by readers’ photos, documenting what for many was likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime event.
MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor said the stunning visual display was an uncommon sight for New Zealanders, but even more so for those in the Far North.
“In New Zealand, we’re not that far south, and the closer you are to the poles, the easier they are to spot. We do see the stronger ones, but to see them from Northland, that’s very uncommon,” O’Connor said.
Jeff Ng took this stunning photo of the aurora australis at Wellington's Ōwhiro Bay at 6.45pm on Saturday night. Photo / Jeff Ng
The SWPC showed the incredible patch of activity was set to fade by midnight, but another flare explosion on the sun has hurled a solar tsunami towards Earth.
Auroras result from magnetosphere disruptions caused by solar wind, altering the trajectories of charged particles.
These particles then rise into the upper atmosphere, creating colourful displays.
The opportunity to capture incredible shots of the aurora australis in Hawke's Bay could still continue over the coming nights. Photo / Connull Lang
Are we set for another week of cold temperatures?
Yesterday was the coldest morning of the year for some parts of Aotearoa.
Temperatures dropped below zero in several regions in the early hours of Mother’s Day and Auckland reached a chilly low of -0.4C in Whenuapai.
O’Connor said the coldest temperature recorded was in east Rangitāiki along State Highway 5 between Taupō and Napier, a low of -8.7C.
About 6.30am yesterday morning, Rotorua recorded its second-coldest temperature for the month since 1972 at -3.3C.
Porters Pass (SH73) has had a light dusting of snow. Photo / George Heard
Looking at the week ahead, O’Connor said people living in the central North Island should continue to expect cooler-than-average mornings on Monday and Tuesday.
