At about midnight on the 4th a northwest gale reached the coast in the Timaru district. The gale was still blowing in the ranges on the 5th.

There were scenes of destruction in the plantations at Bluecliffs.

In the area around Cannington and Motukaika many buildings were damaged.

Stacks in the area were strewn over the paddocks.

A violent northwester sprang up in Christchurch on the night of the 4th. It blew with considerable force throughout the day on the 5th.

The wind raised clouds of dust and made things unpleasant.

At Craigmore, large blocks of plantations 30 years old were uprooted. A few stacks were left standing.

At Holme Station, large blocks of plantations 30 years old were uprooted. A few stacks were left standing.

Great havoc was wrought among plantations and stacks along the foot of Hunters Hills.

Some woolsheds and stables were demolished or damaged.

Pareora and the country to the west seemed to have suffered the worst. There were scenes of destruction in the plantations at Upper Pareora.

There were scenes of destruction in the plantations at Raincliff.

At Kingston, the spray and water were carried may chains inland.

Boxes and other articles on the wharf were tossed around.

Gale-force winds caused widespread damage around Lake Wakatipu.

Shortly before 5pm on the 4th the weather was hot and oppressive and the lake fairly calm with a threatening sky overhead. A squall was observed rushing across from the far side of Lake Wakatipu towards the foot of Ben Lomond. The wind seemed to lift the water in sheets and convert it into a cloud of white foam and spray many feet high, which rushed at high speed and threw itself at the foot of the mountains, while the wind roared away up the Gorge towards Arthurs Point. Similar squalls dashed away down the lake in the direction of Kingston. This was the start of a period of alternating comparative calms and squalls.

Considerable damage was done by the wind in the Queenstown area, especially around the Gorge route to Skippers and Arrowtown.

The oldest inhabitant could not remember any similar experience having occurred.

Several of the willow trees along the lake front were torn up by the roots and blown towards the edge of the water. Others had their tops hurled through the air into backyards or their limbs broken. In the town, trees were blown down or had their limbs broken off, and outbuildings and fences suffered severely.

The waves thundered against the protective water front.

Up the Gorge towards Arthurs Point, ancient poplars and other trees and shrubs were uprooted or damaged. One resident in the Gorge had trees demolished, a straw stack blown away, outbuildings knocked over and his dog pinned against the house, unable to move for a while.

Several travellers up the Gorge had narrow escapes from flying rocks and timber falling across the road.

At Athol, stooks were blown over and stacks shifted. The main loss was that the harvesting fields would have to be gone over again.

At Fairlight, a woolshed was razed to the ground.

Crops at Fairlight suffered.

At Garston, outbuildings were overturned.

Stooks were spread in all directions and the tops of stacks were blown off, with the wind carrying some sheaves for 100 yards (91 m) or more.

At Nokomai, stooks were blown over and stacks shifted. The main loss was that the harvesting fields would have to be gone over again.

At Parawa, stooks were blown over and stacks shifted. The main loss was that the harvesting fields would have to be gone over again.

There were minor traces of the gale down to Winton and closer to Invercargill, but harvesting operations had already been done.