Mesoscale lows are observed off the central west coast, South Island, New Z
ealand. These features are evidenced in pressure dips measured at a buoy mo
ored about 50 km off the west coast. They do not appear in measurements fro
m coastal stations. Wind data at the buoy show complex variations sometimes
consistent with the passage of cyclonic vortices in the flow. Further, win
d data from satellite scatterometers often indicate high spatial variabilit
y near the buoy at the time of these pressure dips, and satellite imagery d
epicts cloud movements consistent with small-scale cyclonic circulations ne
ar the coast. These features are often observed in the cool air after the p
assage of a trough or front.