Archive for July, 2008

Teeming at Tawa

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

Rainfall is steady and relentless at Tawa this morning as the low pressure weather system continues to cause havoc in the South Island. Low cloud and mist hides the valley from view, and 32 mm of rain has been recorded in the five-and-a-half hours to 11 a.m.

The ground is sodden and run-off is high. Rainfall for July now stands at 205 mm, 748 mm for the year. Only 140 mm of rain was recorded for Tawa in July last year, 205 mm in 2006 and 124 mm in July of 2005.

At 11 o’clock the weather station at nearby Redwood also reported 32 mm of rain since 5:30.

Rainfall has been lower to the north, with only 15 mm recorded at Mana since the rain began at 5:30 this morning.

Hawke’s Bay Earthquakes

Friday, July 25th, 2008

Some residents of Hawke’s Bay were woken by a light earthquake early this morning, the sixth quake of third or fourth magnitude to strike the region this month.

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Mt. Ruapehu’s Unrest Declines

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008

Cooling of the hydrothermal system at Mt. Ruapehu indicates that the recent period of unrest is drawing to a close. Crater lake temperatures have fallen, gas emission are reduced and volcanic tremor has declined.

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June 2008 Warmer, Wetter

Monday, July 21st, 2008

Tawa’s climate during June 2008 was warmer than the same month in the previous three years, but cooler than 2003. Rainfall was higher than readings taken since 2005.

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Strong Earthquake, Fiji Region

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

A very deep strong earthquake struck the Fiji and Wallis and Futuna Islands region late this morning.

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Another Strong Quake, Santa Cruz Ialnds

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

Another strong earthquake has struck the Santa Cruz Islands this evening, New Zealand time.

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Strong Quake, Santa Cruz Islands

Saturday, July 19th, 2008

A strong, shallow earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands in the south Pacific late this evening.

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Major Earthquake, Japan

Saturday, July 19th, 2008

A major undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Japan’s central island of Honshu this afternoon.

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Kermadec Earthquakes

Thursday, July 17th, 2008

Two moderately strong earthquakes struck the Kermadec Islands overnight.

A shallow magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck just after midnight. The quake, which occurred at 12:49 a.m. on Thursday 17th July 2008 New Zealand time was located 225 km east-north-east of Raoul Island at a depth of 35 km.

This was followed by a magnitude 5.5 quake at 5:09 am. This quake was deeper, at 145 km, and located 60 km north-north-east of L’Esperance Rock (200 km south-south-west of Raoul Island).

[Compiled from data supplied by the U.S. Geological Survey and its contributing agencies.]

Geological Summary for New Zealand Area, June 2008

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

Earthquake activity continued at a low level. White Island, Mt Ngauruhoe, and Mt Ruapehu remained at Alert Level 1.

GeoNet, the U.S. Geological Survey and GNS Science detailed 33 earthquakes in the New Zealand area between the Kermadec Islands in the north, and the Auckland Islands to the south during June 2008.

The magnitude distributions were as follows:
M6 to 6.9 (none), M5 to 5.9 (4), M4 to 4.9 (7) M3 to 3.9 (18).
An additional 4 events in the magnitude 2 range were deemed worthy of mention.

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Hydro Storage, June 2008

Monday, July 14th, 2008

New Zealand’s hydro-electric storage lake levels increased slightly during June 2008, benefitting from improved inflows and a reduction in demand.

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Earthquakes Near Dusky Sound

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

A moderately strong earthquake was felt in the southern part of the South Island just after midday today, the fourth substantial earth tremor to have been felt in the area since the beginning of June.

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Major Quake, Sea of Okhotsk

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

A major earthquake struck beneath the Sea of Okhotsk, north of the Kuril Islands this afternoon, New Zealand time.

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Strong Quake, Fiji

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

A strong earthquake struck the southern Fiji islands this afternoon. The magnitude 6.2 quake, which struck at 3:03 p.m. on Thursday 3rd July 2008 New Zealand time was located 320 km south-south-west of Ndoi Island, Fiji, at a depth of 568 km according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Geoscience Australia record the quake as magnitude 6.0 at a depth of 600 km. The quake would have been felt within 560 km of the epicentre.

[Compiled from data supplied by the U.S. Geological Survey and its contributing agencies, and Geoscience Australia.]

May 2008 Cooler Than Recent Years

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Tawa’s climate during May 2008 was calmer and cooler than recent years, with rainfall returning to normal levels after the dry May of 2007.

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