Hailstorm

I just found out that there was a damaging tornado in Sydenham.  It was pretty wild on the Port Hills, too.

I delayed my morning walk today, to spread the mulch I made yesterday before the rain.  So I headed up the hill just as the first claps of thunder arrived this afternoon.  As this is New Zealand, where we don't get struck by lightning (unlike the United States, where I would never venture uphill in such conditions, certainly not along a ridge), I carried on, glad that I had the foresight to wear a parka.  The full fury of the storm hit me when I was walking along part of the Crater Rim walkway, trying to avoid the most exposed sections, as the storm was directly overhead.  Most of the thunder was rumbling between the clouds, but I did see a few bolts of lightning heading for the ground a little further along the rim, towards Castle Rock.  I was reluctant to cross a stile, though, that although wooden, had a large, metal pole right next to it.  There was no way I was going to cross a metal fence in those conditions.  I have been too well trained hiking in the Rocky Mountains.  So I crouched down among the tussocks, protected by the insulated soles of my shoes, as thunder and lightning continued to swirl around Mount Pleasant.  It was freezing, and my bare legs were bombarded by hail stones a centimetre across.  

Once the storm passed over a bit, I ran across the stile and down to the road.  It was white with hail.  Walking down the hill, lots of rubbish bins had been blown over (not an uncommon occurrence in our suburb), and there were piles of hail stones everywhere.  Soon, though, the sun came out and I was reminded it was summer.  I hope that not too many people planted tender young tomato plants last weekend.

A couple of extras today.  My main photo was taken looking out over the city.