Halswell’s hailstones reach 3cm

Press, 21 January 1983, Page 1

Halswell’s hailstones reach 3cm

Hail 3cm in diameter had been recorded in the Halswell area storm, said the Christchurch chief meteorologist. Mr A. I. Tomlinson, yesterday. Reports of larger hailstones had been received, and Meteorological Office staff were checking some which had been kept on ice.

Mr Tomlinson, who was at his Halswell home when the tornado hit. said: "There does not seem to have been anything like it in the last 20 years.”

Weather patterns which brought recent storms were likely to continue for several months.

. Other parts of New Zealand. particularly the north and the west, were subject to tornadoes, but for Christchurch it was a "rare occurrence,” said Mr Tomlinson..

Wednesday’s tornado was the result of storm clouds brewing near Rakaia township during the afternoon. A southerly change coming up the Canterbury coast reinforced the clouds and pushed them from Leeston towards Christchurch.

The storm passed through Prebbleton and became a tornado when it earthed near Halswell Road and Quaifes

Road. It lifted near the intersection of Halswell Road and Lillian Street but caused damage to trees in Oaklands and North Hagley Park.

Mr Tomlinson said tornadoes usually caused damage only in a well defined, small area. His home, some 200 m to 300 m from the tornado’s path, was left unscathed. “The severity is measured by the damage the storm produces," said Mr Tomlinson. Wind damage was not the only problem. Tornadoes also caused a sudden drop in presssure; this could cause house windows to pop from their frames. What made the tornado unusual w'as the quantity of large hailstones which fell in its close vicinity. "I doubt very much if there has been a similar tornado in New Zealand,” said Mr Tomlinson. Aside from the hail, he said, the tornado was of an average severity for those that struck New Zealand. With about 24 tornadoes a year New Zealand had a "fairly high incidence by world' standards.” However, their severity was difficult to assess as many hit unpopulated areas.