Cold front brings 884 lightning strikes in two hours to South Island

Hundreds of lightning strikes person been observed astir the South Island arsenic a acold beforehand moves crossed the motu.

“There person been 884 lightning strikes successful the past 2 hours!,” MetService said connected societal media. The lightning was expected to proceed done Friday evening and into Saturday morning.

Severe weather warnings stay successful spot for the little South Island, with thunderstorms, dense rainfall and upwind gusts of 130kph expected successful immoderate areas.

Send your upwind photos and videos to [email protected]

The warnings were prompted by terrible north-westerly gales pushing the acold beforehand eastward, with astir of the warnings moving done to the extremity of Friday.

MetService meteorologist Ashlee Parkes said terrible gales were expected to persist passim Canterbury precocious state into Saturday morning.

The West Coast and Fiordland could spot dense rainfalls continuing into Saturday, with the Westland informing lasting until 9pm connected Saturday.

Higher accumulation of rainfall was expected passim the portion during the informing period, with 220-240mm expected successful the ranges and 80-110mm connected the coast.

Stuff

884 lightning strikes wrong 2 hours were observed astir the South Island connected Friday.

Overall, the inclination was “wet and thundery successful the westbound contiguous and scattered rainfall and windy successful the east,” Parkes said.

“This beforehand that’s presently residing crossed the South Island volition easiness and interruption up during Saturday. We’ll inactive spot play of rainfall for the West Coast and winds volition inactive beryllium a spot gusty but thing severe.”

Tie down thing loose, including your trampoline, Parkes said, if your country has a upwind ticker oregon informing successful effect.

And if you are successful a portion with a dense rainfall warning, support up-to-date with the latest forecasts and support an oculus retired for what section authorities and exigency services are saying.