Lighting strikes frighteningly close to an Emirates A380 aircraft in Christchurch. Video / Garden City Helicopters
Dramatic footage has emerged of an Emirates A380 plane almost being struck by lightning at Christchurch Airport as the South Island is battered by wild weather this afternoon.
The video was provided to 1 News by Daniel Currie of Garden City Helicopters, while he was the airport at around 3.30pm today.
"The view out our window onto the tarmac today! The Emirates plane waiting for the storm to pass," a post said on their Facebook page.
Dramatic footage has emerged of an Emirates A380 aeroplane almost being struck by lightning at Christchurch Airport. Photo / 1 News
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.
More than 1500 lightning strikes have hit the South Island over a course of a six-hour period, along with reports of hail the size of golf balls damaging roofing and breaking windows.
An egg tray shows the scale of some of the hailstones. Photo / Luke McGoldrick
A Christchurch local told the Herald enormous hailstones were denting cars parked on the street.
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.
"Tornadoes can blow out windows, lift roofs, break large branches off trees, generate dangerous flying debris and blow vehicles off the road."
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/qHyE5zhh6Xpic.twitter.com/XpyynsPnMu
