New Zealand has faced some extreme weather events this year, but the sight facing some Taranaki residents lunchtime yesterday still left them in awe.
Hāwera Pilot Chris Schoen was confronted with the rare sight of two waterspouts while taking his Van’s RV-7 light aircraft for a joy ride 3000 feet in the sky.
Around 12:50pm he saw a cloud starting to form in front of him southwest of Manaia.
"It was forming as I was flying, and it only lasted for three to four minutes," he told 1News.
MetService confirmed the waterspouts formed off the coast at this time.
Although Schoen has been soaring high in the clouds for the past 25 years, this was the first time he had ever seen a weather event like it.
"[I've only seen it] in pictures and I thought it was interesting".
He made sure to keep a safe distance away from the waterspouts as they were forming, and he was able to snap a few photos.
MetService Meteorologist, Andrew James, said strong southwest winds had generated a few thunderstorms in the area yesterday.
"Thunderstorms are driven by upward motion in the atmosphere, and when this combines with low level wind shear (winds at different heights being different directions) these kind of funnel clouds can form," he said.
New Zealand is still in for more weather disruptions across the week, with MetService issuing warnings today for parts of the country.
A strong wind warning has been issued for Dunedin, North Otago, Clutha, Southland, Stewart Island and Banks Peninsula.
With Desert Rd also getting another Snowfall warning after being blanketed earlier this week.
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