Lower Hutt's extreme weather event

This weather event may be a fizzer as a “droughtbuster”

Weather forecasts are one thing and reality is quite another.

Last night there was a warning out for heavy rain in the Tararuas, promising up to 3 inches of rain with up to an inch falling in an hour.

Now that warning has been lifted.

I have no idea what Nature is going to produce but the signs are that this weather event is NOT going to be any drought buster.

As far as forecasts are concerned it does not look as if we are going to get much more than a few drops of rain.

I don't know about wind chill but a brief drop down to 14 degrees before going back to the warmer weather is not overwhelming either.

Last weekend when I did my piece on the Hutt River, flow rates were down to 3,58 m3/second.

This was HALF of the rates for the same day last year when it was also dry and the authorities

By the day before yesterday (the 22nd ) rates were down to 3.08 m3/second.

Last night flow rates shot up to 101.35 m3/sec. As of a couple of hours ago it had gone back down to about 30 m3/sec. When I rechecked a bit over an hour later it registered as 21.35m3/sec'

This is a few hours ago

And the day before...