Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Aug 14, 2014 16:56:39 GMT 12
from The Dominion Post....
Sculpture struck by lightning
By DOMINION POST reporters | 3:04PM - Thursday, 14 August 2014
HIT: The Zephyrometer sculpture. — Photo: CARTER NIXON/Twitter.
A WELLINGTON SCULPTURE has been blown up by lightning after a southerly change slammed the capital this afternoon.
The “needle” — a zephyrometer largely paid for by Meridian Energy and installed at Evans Bay in 2003 was struck by lightning about 2.30pm.
Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said the sculpture, designed by artist Phil Price, was “completely stuffed” and there was a lot of debris that needed to be cleaned up.
The lightning strike had also affected traffic lights in the area and contractors had been sent to work on them while council staff and the fire service helped with traffic flow.
DIFFERENT VIEW: Blair Shingleton sent in this picture of what he thinks might be the bolt that struck the sculpture. It was taken from The Terrace,
looking towards the airport. — Photo: BLAIR SHINGLETON.
BIG SKIES: Sally Coltart sent in this shot of the weather rolling in, over Paremata towards Mana Island. — Photo: SALLY COLTART.
Metservice meterologist Liz Walsh said forecasters had been waiting for the southerly change to strike and it did so with force.
“About 1pm we saw Kaikoura have a five degree drop in temperature and wind went from basically nothing — about 20km/h — to 89km/h almost instantly.”
She said that quickly made its way to the capital with temperature drops of 5°C at the airport and 6°C in Kelburn.
“It was a southerly buster that brought thunderstorms and hail.”
This was expected to be the worst of it and by later this afternoon the skies should have cleared up.
Walsh said tomorrow morning would be fine and a little bit of rain was expected in the afternoon — “but nothing like what we had today”.
By the weekend it would be back to fine and sunny for Wellington.
ROLLING IN: Dominion Post picture editor Mark Round got this shot of the storm arriving over the harbour. — Photo: MARK ROUND/Fairfax NZ.
Green MP Gareth Hughes was on an Air New Zealand plane that had to enter the southerly buster in order to land at Wellington airport this afternoon.
Hughes said he had been on worse flights but there was a lot of clapping from the passengers when they safely landed.
The flight captain had informed passengers they only had 15 minutes worth of petrol left before they would have to divert to Christchurch if they couldn't land.
“We flew right alongside the front for about ten minutes, which was pretty impressive, as we were surrounded in blue sky but we could see the cloud storms rolling in next to us.”
He said there was a series of water whirlpools, similar to water spouts, at the edge of the front and passengers braced themselves as the plane entered the storm to land.
Evans Bay Intermediate pupil Harriette Boucher was watching the hail outside with her classmates when she heard a “huge bang” and sparks started falling off the needle.
“When the sparks had cleared you could see it was all split and burnt down the sides.”
Harriette, 11, is a fan of the sculpture and hopes it gets repaired but seeing it get blown up had been quite scary.
www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/10383848/Sculpture-struck-by-lightning
