More rain

The forecast downpours for Saturday didn't arrive, though it was still pretty soggy - it was a good day to stay inside playing Guitar Hero, and watching DVDs.

MetService has issued another heavy rain warning, but this one mostly applies to the Tararua Ranges for today and tomorrow - might want to leave off the hiking over the next couple of days. Hopefully it all clears up by Thursday, I'm off camping!

SEVERE WEATHER WARNING.
ISSUED BY MetService AT 09:32 am 30-Nov-2009

THE RUAHINE AND TARARUA RANGES AND ALSO THE RANGES OF NELSON

Rain is already falling, and is expected to be heavy at times during today and Tuesday. In the 36 hours from midday Monday to midnight Tuesday, 100 to 140mm of rain is possible, with rainfall intensities of 15 to 20mm per hour possible in thunderstorms. Note, heavy rain is possible into Wednesday as well.

Batten down the hatches - there's a storm blowing in

After a couple of days of gorgeous weather, we can now expect it to turn to very soggy custard.

MetService has issued a Severe Weather Warning for heavy rain for the urban areas of the Wellington region for tomorrow, with 40-50mm expected in a 3-6 hour period some time between 8am and 8pm Saturday morning. That kind of rainfall may cause similar surface flooding and slips to the last lot that cut off all access north of Porirua at the end of July.

Also expecting strong northwest winds tonight - up to gale force, possible even severe gales.

Might just be a good day to stay home.

Was that the wind?

Apparently there was an earthquake 20km west of Porirua yesterday evening at 6:49pm. 40km down and measuring 3.7. I'm not sure many people would have distinguished it from the wind shaking the house. I certainly didn't.

http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/3188903g.html

More quakes - didn't feel a thing

Woke up to the news on the radio that there had been an earthquake in the central North Island. Hadn't felt a thing, neither had my cat who woke up at the same time I did. Then my phone went bingley-beep to give me the information - 7:04am, 5.1, 10km south of Palmerston North, at a depth of 40 km - sounds like it would be a doozie, but I'd slept right through it.

It was followed up by a 4.3 aftershock an hour later at 8:05am, roughly the same location and depth - I didn't feel that one either (not because I was asleep).

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3077660/Two-earthquakes-shake-North-Island

If you did feel the quakes, don't forget to fill in a Felt Earthquake report.

http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/3185771g.html

http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/3185791g.html

Kapi-Mana News articles

A couple of articles about us in today's edition of the Kapi-Mana News - and conveniently replicated online!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/kapi-mana-news/3067822/Water-tanks-to-the-rescue

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/kapi-mana-news/3067861/Exercise-Phoenix-tests-staff

More wind

It's already rather windy in Porirua today, but the MetService has given us a Severe Weather Watch for strong winds for tomorrow.

There could be a spell of severe northwest gales about the hilltops of Wellington and exposed areas of Wairarapa on Sunday. Forecasters will maintain a watch in the meantime. There is the potential for damage to trees, powerlines and insecure roofs and driving conditions could be hazardous for motorcylists and high sided vehicles.

EDIT: Watch has been uprgaded to a warning for severe gales through to Sunday evening - gusting to 120km/h in exposed places.

Exercise Phoenix

Thursday and Friday was taken up with Exercise Phoenix - the Wellington region-wide annual exercise, based on a 7.6 earthquake centred in Petone. Two exhausting days - my throat was sore from talking so much, and we were really quite braindead by end of play on Friday afternoon - a good illustration of the need for regular shift changes. Exercising is really important to us since (thankfully) we don't get that many real events to keep ourselves in practice. We always find something to improve on, streamline, simplify, more training required, so while the exercise is over for many of our particpants (thanks team!), we come away with a long list of things to do for next time.

Wind on the way

Wednesday looks to be a bit breezy with a Severe Weather Watch from the Metservice for severe gales in exposed parts of Wellington & Wairarapa - mid-morning through to early afternoon. We should all be pretty used to strong winds around here, and remember that winds like these have the potential to damage trees and powerlines and make driving hazardous - especiall in high-sided vehicles.