For New Zealand's meteorologists, the Westland Rain Radar is transmitting only silence, following a lightning strike of 156 kiloamps on the 18th of September. A statement from MetService New Zealand, the nation's weather service, said that the powerful surge was about five times greater than a typical strike and had sufficient power to run a residence for about two years. Various news reports said the power not only destroyed the weatherproof cover designed to protect the radar but "fried" the electronics and overpowered the grounding systems at the site.

The strike's destructive force has disabled the radar dome to the point that MetService expects it to be out of service for [quote] "an extended period" [endquote] while repairs are done. The radar is a critical forecasting tool for New Zealand's severe weather warnings and plays an especially important role for communities on the West Coast.

Meteorologists in the meantime will be observing high-resolution computer models, satellite images, weather stations and neighbouring radar sites. According to a report on the AccuWeather website, this is not the first time the radar dome has been hit by lightning. A hit in 2022 left it with only minor damage.