April_2008_North_Island_and_Nelson_Storm April 2008 North Island and Nelson Storm 2008-04-14 Many parts of the North Island, plus Tasman-Nelson, experienced electrical storms, heavy rain, flooding, slips and high winds. The 'Mangatepopo Tradgedy' occurred, in which seven people drowned and one person was injured in Tongariro National Park. During a hunt near Dargaville, lightning killed one man and injured five others. From the 14th to the 17th of April. MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:45 pm 13-Apr-2009: Heavy rain expected for northern and eastern parts of Northland overnight and on Monday morning, possibly continuing into afternoon. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Northern and eastern parts of Northland. MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:20 pm 14-Apr-2009: Further heavy rain for Coromandel Peninsula and northern Taranaki until Monday afternoon and in parts of Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne to Wednesday morning. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Coromandel Peninsula. MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:29 am 15-Apr-2009: Further heavy rain for northern parts of the North Island on Tuesday, possibly continuing in eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne through to Thursday morning. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: parts of Waikato down to inland Taranaki and Taupo, including Waitomo and Taumarunui. MetService SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH issued at 09:49 am Tuesday 15 April 2008 for: Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Taupo. Storm conditions in the sub-tropics sucked down warm air from as far north as Fiji, which created the stormy conditions in the upper North Island. A tropical trough hit Northland on the night of the 13th. A trough crossed New Zealand, bringing very stormy weather to many parts of the North Island. A band of thunderstorms crossed the north of the North Island on the 15th, bringing heavy downpours to many areas. On the 16th, a shallow, but complex area of low pressure lay over New Zealand. A low centre moved onto the northern North Island later in the day. The frontal system remained over the north-eastern North Island, with further heavy rain and thunderstorms in the ranges of Eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, East Cape, and northern Hawke's Bay until the morning of the 17th, when the northern low moved away to the south-east. The storm moved from Northland, to Auckland, to Waikato, to the Bay of Plenty. The area between South Hokianga and Dargaville recieved 94 mm (9.4 cm) of rain in three hours on the 15th. A solo yachtsman sailing towards New Zealand's north-east coast in a dismasted yacht had to be towed in to land. He had a knee injury but did not require medical treatment. A few hundred lightning strikes occurred over Northland on the morning of the 15th. There were about 1000 lightning flashes an hour. Even experts were surprised at the number of lightning strikes in the Dargaville-Hokianga Harbour area. The thunderstorm brought torrential rain to the Far North, but only minor flooding. -35.181318 174.199165 Tourist operators cancelled nearly all day trips out of the Bay of Islands on the 15th. -35.944137 173.869958 A violent electrical storm, along with thunder and lightning, struck the west coast between South Hokianga and Dargaville on the 15th. A downpour caused some flooding in the centre of Dargaville. -34.922186 173.449815 Much of the Doubtless Bay area was without electricity for more than three hours on the 15th after a line went down between Taipa and Kaitaia. -35.418484 173.422286 Hokianga Harbour locals said the thunder and lightning lasted nearly three hours. -35.406232 173.80745 Kaikohe recorded 53 mm (5.3 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 5pm on the 14th. -35.107541 173.248564 A lightning strike on the main line into Kaitaia caused the town to lose power from a substation to the south. At Kaitaia, rivers overflowed but the water levels fell rapidly as the storm moved south. -35.996583 173.799162 A 61-year-old man and his horse were killed instantly when they were struck by lightning at 12:50pm on the 15th during the annual Northland hare hunt on farmland at Mahuta. The man was struck on the top of his head. A witness said there were several lightning bolts and the man appeared to be struck by the final one. Five other riders in the hunt were also hit by lightning and taken to hospital, but only received minor injuries. Two men and two women had symptoms of mild electric shock and were kept under observation. One of the men was hit in the leg by lightning. A fifth person declined treatment. Local residents described continuous displays of fork lightning travelling directly to the ground over the farm where hunt was being held. The sergeant said he had never seen anything like it in the 35 years he had lived in Dargaville. An ambulance officer said the thunder and lightning was so intense that buildings were shaking. A nearby transformer blew and a Mahuta resident said power was out for six hours. -34.410628 173.042815 The weather hampered attempts to rescue nine people from a charter vessel that ran aground on rocks off North Cape. A rescue helicopter was thwarted by heavy rain and 30- to 40-knot winds. -35.505653 173.384451 Opononi recorded 55 mm (5.5 cm) of rain in one hour on the 15th. Opononi recorded 94 mm (9.4 cm) three hours on the 15th. Opononi Area School was closed and evacuated as rising flood waters threatened school bus transport for the children. -35.284049 174.084489 Ferry crossings between Paihia and Russell were put on hold on the 15th. -36.137261 174.025402 Lightning struck a building in Ruawai on the 15th. -34.996025 173.461422 Taipa Area School closed early when the Doubtless Bay district lost power, leaving pump-dependent water supplies and toilets unsable. -35.719519 174.298397 Whangarei recorded 33 mm (3.3 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 5pm on the 14th. Strong winds and heavy rain caused havoc from as far north as Whangaparaoa on the 15th. In West Auckland strong winds brought an old pine tree down onto the roof of a house, smashing roof tiles. -36.852397 174.762337 In central Auckland falling trees destroyed property. Central Auckland appeared like nightfall at midday on the 15th. -37.008447 174.782053 Auckland Airport recorded 16 mm (1.6 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 5pm on the 14th. -36.888857 174.764949 In Epsom a car was flattened under a tree that came down during the storm. -36.604519 174.895219 Tiritiri Matangi Island recorded a gust of 52 knots (96 km/hr) at 1am on the 14th. -36.831068 174.743854 Lightning struck a container ship as it came into Auckland harbour. A witness said two arms of lightning shot down from two clouds, converged above the ship and exploded above the ship's bridge in a flash of blue-white light. -36.636548 174.733924 A 20 ft (6.1 m) launch broke free from its mooring and sank at Swann Beach, Whangaparaoa. An 8.5 m launch sank at Swann Beach near Manly on the 14th. Whangaparaoa recorded 21 mm (2.1 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 5pm on the 14th. Similar deluges to that at Hamilton Airport were recorded throughout the Waikato. Rainfall topped 120 mm (12.0 cm) in some districts, but barely 15-20 mm (1.5-2.0 cm) in others. In South Waikato heavy rain caused severe surface flooding on roads on the 15th. -37.780816 175.272836 Hamilton recorded 14 mm (1.4 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 5pm on the 14th. Hamilton Airport recorded 19 mm (1.9 cm) of rain in the hour from 2pm to 3pm on the 15th. Hamilton city had almost continual rain on the 14th. Hamilton recorded 38 mm (3.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours. -37.88158 175.760638 A Hinuera Valley farm recorded 20 mm (2.0 cm) of rain on the 14th. -38.890451 175.77429 Kuratau recorded 224 mm (22.4 cm) of rain in the month of April. -36.850852 175.467236 State Highway 25 was closed at Manaia Bridge on the 15th as the water rose rapidly. There were no alternative routes. -38.370596 175.762793 A man's car became trapped in flood waters at Mangakino, and he had to abandon it. An elderly man was injured when a car and a bus collided in Mangakino. -37.806306 175.778708 Matamata recorded 126 mm (12.6 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 14th. A deluge began in Matamata at around 2:30pm on the 15th. Matamata received bursts of heavy rain all day, resulting in surface flooding. Streets in the central area of town were flooded. Water at the intersections of Broadway and Meura and Hohaia Streets rose to about 36 cm. A number of minor road accidents occurred around Matamata. A Puriri Place house was flooded after stormwater drains failed to cope with the downpour. Firemen spent four hours pumping out water from 4:30pm. Within 30 minutes the water rose from a few centimetres to about 1m high. Emergency services were called to businesses and homes across Matamata to deal with flooding. Several basements and garages were flooded. At New World, the water was 36 cm deep in places as waves lapped the front doors. -38.576299 176.020735 Oruanui A recorded 181 mm (18.1 cm) of rain in the month of April. Oruanui B recorded 201 mm (20.1 cm) of rain in the month of April. Oruanui C recorded 189 mm (18.9 cm) of rain in the month of April. -38.174188 175.209784 Otorohanga received around 25 mm (2.5 cm) of rain on the 14th. -39.15886 175.688987 Oturere Hut recorded 387 mm (38.7 cm) of rain in the month of April. -37.373937 175.671378 A farm near Paeroa recorded 18 mm (1.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours to the morning of the 14th. -37.625891 175.537545 The Piako catchment received 71 mm (7.1 cm) of rain in 24 hours. -38.915623 175.758568 Pukawa recorded 244 mm (24.4 cm) of rain in the month of April. -38.69531 176.070758 Taupo recorded 138 mm (13.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 15th. Taupo recorded 201 mm (20.1 cm) of rain in 10 days This rainfall was an all-time high (previous record in 1997). AC Baths recorded 345 mm (34.5 cm) of rain in the month of April. Bonshaw Park recorded 289 mm (28.9 cm) of rain in the month of April. Five Mile Bay recorded 140 mm (14.0 cm) of rain in the month of April. Garden Grove recorded 181 mm (18.1 cm) of rain in the month of April. Gillies Ave recorded 196 mm (19.6 cm) of rain in the month of April. Lakewood Drive recorded 197 mm (19.7 cm) of rain in the month of April. Lake Ridge recorded 232 mm (23.2 cm) of rain in the month of April. Rawhiti Street recorded 233 mm (23.3 cm) of rain in the month of April. Taupo Airport recorded 178 mm (17.8 cm) of rain in the month of April. Heavy downpours caused surface flooding throughout the Taupo and Turangi districts on the 16th. Surface flooding was widespread throughout Taupo. Various rivers around the district were rising. -37.399424 175.142967 A Te Kauwhata farm recorded 18 mm (1.8 cm) of rain on the 14th. -38.614974 175.703559 Tihoi recorded 212 mm (21.2 cm) of rain in the month of April. -37.980454 175.754274 State Highway 1 on the southern side of Tirau was reduced to one lane on the 15th. -38.98423 175.791331 Heavy downpours caused surface flooding throughout the Taupo and Turangi districts on the 16th. -39.208197 175.679907 Waihohonu Hut recorded 375 mm (37.5 cm) of rain in the month of April. -38.452031 175.437596 The Waipa catchment received 77 mm (7.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours. -38.626082 176.080353 Wairakei recorded 314 mm (31.4 cm) of rain in the month of April. -36.834317 175.692086 Whitianga recorded 23 mm (2.3 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 5pm on the 14th. Heavy rain fell in the Bay of Plenty from the 14th. The Eastern Ranges of Bay of Plenty received 200 mm (20.0 cm) of rain in two days from the 15th to the 17th. Eastern Bay received 250-300 mm (25.0-30.0 cm) of rain in the month of April. This was well over double the average rainfall for April. There was severe surface flooding on Western Bay of Plenty roads on the 15th. There were surface flooding problems on State Highway 29 in the lower Kaimais on the Tauranga side. Power was cut in the eastern Rotorua District. Over 900 homes lost power in areas from Owhata to Okere Falls for up to six hours on the night of the 15th after a branch fell on a power line. -37.867424 177.824835 Haparapa recorded 360 mm (36.0 cm) of rain from the 14th to the 17th. -37.664863 176.035125 Flooding and slips were reported at State Highway 2 near Te Maunga and Plummers Point Road and the Omokoroa turnoff. -38.140434 176.262282 There were nine traffic accidents around Rotorua in 48 hours on the 15th and 16th, as persistent rain caused normally dry roads to become treacherous. The bad road conditions were a combination of oil and diesel left on the road and the sudden downpour. In the worst accident, two people were injured when a car and another vehicle had a head-on crash just after 8am on the 15th. Both drivers were taken to Rotorua Hospital with moderate injuries. Lake Road was subsequently closed for over an hour. Rotorua recorded 108 mm (10.8 cm) of rain in the 24 hours from 9am on the 15th. Rain caused damage to homes, clogged culverts and caused surface flooding. Rain affected the University Games in Rotorua, with events cancelled or moved. Rotorua Fire Service attended 25 flood-related callouts in 24 hours, 12 of them between 4:30pm and 6:30pm on the 15th. A freak wave that came down a hillside behind Otonga destroyed a fence and wrecked a road. A Petrie Street home was inundated by flash flooding on the 15th. At around 4:30pm, flood water was lapping around the door and five minutes later it gushed through the entire house, destroying virtually everything. It was the second time the house had flooded in two months. The house was knee-deep in water. The reisdent of the Petrie Street house was left homeless. Insurance assessors said she could not move back in for four months because raw sewage had overflowed from toilet. -37.679532 176.173022 Tauranga recorded 36 mm (3.6 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 5pm on the 14th. -37.68281 176.21628 Flooding and slips were reported at State Highway 2 near Te Maunga and Plummers Point Road and the Omokoroa turnoff. -37.730939 175.991984 A small slip flowed onto State Highway 2 near Whakamarama on the 16th. Traffic was diverted for nearly two hours. -37.967356 176.992417 Whakatane Airport recorded 256 mm (25.6 cm) of rain in the month of April. This was its highest rainfall since records began. Hangaroa and Wharekopae to Arowhona received 12-30 mm (1.2-3.0 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 16th. Rain caused a few problems on roads. Some parts of the Gisborne district received five times their normal rainfall in April. A large part of the hill and farming country had about 150% of normal rainfall. The coast north of Tolaga Bay received at least twice the usual rain. All of the top part of the district (Te Puia to East Cape and inland) had 2.5 times or more of the average April rainfall. Local and coastal tributaries peaked at about 0.5-1 m above normal. -38.356439 177.53729 Matawai recorded 72 mm (7.2 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 16th. -38.657823 177.948982 Matawhero recorded 12 mm (1.2 cm) in the 24 hours to 9am on the 16th. -38.463891 177.646866 A slip at the top of Otoko Hill on State Highway 2 closed one lane of the road from around 8am on the 16th. -37.777541 178.294518 Porporo recorded 444.6 mm (44.5 cm) of rain in the month of April. -37.815769 178.08919 The Raparapaririki Stream area to north of Mt Hikurangi recorded 459.4 mm (45.9 cm) of rain in the month of April. This was five times the average April rainfall. The Raparapaririki Stream area to north of Mt Hikurangi recorded more than 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain each day from the 15th to the 17th. -37.890508 178.310264 Ruatoria recorded 90 mm (9.0 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 16th. The area inland from Ruatoria recorded 134 mm (13.4 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 16th. -37.812969 178.385854 The Waiapu River was about 2 m above normal. -37.661599 178.05614 Waikura recorded 201 mm (20.1 cm) of rain from the 14th to the 17th. Waikura Valley recorded 573 mm (57.3 cm) of rain in the month of April. This was 258% of the average April rainfall. -39.168128 176.952838 A large slip came down in Matahorua Gorge on State Highway 2 between Wairoa and Napier at 9:30pm on the 15th. The road was closed for more than five hours, reopening at 2:30am on the 16th. Another slip at 5:30am reduced the road to one lane. -39.00263 176.953858 Willowflat recorded 24 mm (2.4 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 16th. -39.108331 175.652889 Ketetahi Hut recorded 354 mm (35.4 cm) of rain in the month of April. -39.144775 175.596996 Mangatepopo Hut recorded 309 mm (30.9 cm) of rain in the month of April. -39.097474 175.556465 Seven people (a 29-year-old male teacher and six 16-year-old students, three males and three females) drowned in the Mangatepopo River, Tongariro National Park, on the 15th while on a canyoning trip with the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre. Heavy rain higher up caused the river to suddenly surge around 4pm, when the group were in a gorge-like terrain with very steep sides and few escape points, and they were swept away. One person required medical treatment at Taupo Hospital after reportedly suffering head and back injuries in the raging water. The water flow in the gorge rose from 0.5 cumecs at 3pm to 18 cumecs at 3:30pm, before dropping back to 0.5 cumecs by 6pm. Mr Davidson, head of the Outdoor Pursuits Centre said he had seen that amount of water before, but had never seen it come down at that speed. -40.964296 175.667649 Farmers near Masterton reported heavy rainfalls on the 15th. Slips and floods briefly isolated parts of the Nelson region on the 14th and 15th. There was a spectacular thunderstorm overnight on the 14th/15th. The downpour started on the afternoon of the 14th. The region escaped major damage because the rain was steady over a long period of time. Grape growers across the region were likely to have a good growing season seriously compromised by the rain. -41.375969 173.093992 Brightwater recorded 63 mm (6.3 cm) of rain in the 19 hours from 2pm on the 14th to 9am on the 15th. -41.097753 172.970411 Brooklyn recorded 121.2 mm (12.1 cm) of rain in the 19 hours from 2pm on the 14th to 9am on the 15th. This was the region's biggest downpour. -41.151971 173.408808 There were several slips on the road to Cable Bay. Residents were temporarily isolated, but one lane was cleared by 9am on the 15th and the road was expected to be reopened by midday. -41.354744 173.155509 Surface flooding was reported in Hope. -41.039225 173.018605 Small slips occurred on the Riwaka to Kaiteriteri Road. -41.269743 173.039545 Mahana recorded 82.5 mm (8.3 cm) of rain in the 19 hours from 2pm on the 14th to 9am on the 15th. -41.253054 173.096212 Mapua recorded 97 mm (9.7 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 15th. -41.10406 173.020407 Motueka Beach recorded 98 mm (9.8 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 15th. -41.268476 173.297338 Nelson Airport recorded 95 mm (9.5 cm) of rain in the 19 hours from 2pm on the 14th to 9am on the 15th. Nelson recorded 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain overnight on the 14th up to 6am on the 15th. Nelson recorded 166 mm (16.6 cm) of rain in the month of April. This was almost twice its average April rainfall. The Maitai River breached its banks and inundated Maitai Valley Road, which was closed at Gibbs Bridge on the morning of the 15th. Residents in the area were temporarily isolated, but the road was expected to be reopened by midday. Firefighters were called out a number of times overnight because of false alarms caused by water getting into alarm systems or lightning disrupting them. -40.830699 172.877463 Surface flooding was reported in Pohara. -41.338974 173.165031 Hill Street, Richmond, recorded 111.2 mm (11.1 cm) of rain in the 19 hours from 2pm on the 14th to 9am on the 15th. This was the region's second biggest downpour. -41.316799 173.23246 Suffolk Road, Stoke, recorded 95 mm (9.5 cm) of rain in the 19 hours from 2pm on the 14th to 9am on the 15th. -40.854005 172.800335 Takaka recorded 132 mm (13.2 cm) of rain in the 24 hours on the 14th. Surface flooding was reported in Takaka. Headline: 9 crashes in 48 hours. Reference www.dailypost.co.nz, 16 April 2008. Headline: Home wrecked by flooding… again. Reference www.dailypost.co.nz, 17 April 2008. Headline: More flooding in store for Rotorua. Reference www.dailypost.co.nz, 17 April 2008. Headline: Plenty more rain on way for East Coast. Reference www.gisborneherald.co.nz, 16 April 2008. Headline: Record month for rain. Reference www.mediaintelligence.co.nz, Source: Eastern Bay News, 8 May 2008. Headline: Data shows a particularly wet month. Reference www.mediaintelligence.co.nz, Source: Gisborne Herald, 3 May 2008. Headline: April rainfall twice average. Reference www.mediaintelligence.co.nz, Source: Nelson Mail, 2 May 2008. Headline: Record rainfall in April in Taupo. Reference www.mediaintelligence.co.nz, Source: Taupo Times, 13 May 2008. Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.), Newsletter 113, June 2008. Notable weather in NZ - Autumn 2008. Reference Headline: Heavy weather bringing spectacular end to summer. Reference www.nzherald.co.nz, 14 April 2008. Headline: Happiness is rain in the Waikato. Reference www.nzherald.co.nz, 15 April 2008. Headline: Lightning strike kills man and horse. Reference www.nzherald.co.nz, 15 April 2008. Headline: Lightning kills horse rider as weather pounds north. Reference www.nzherald.co.nz, 16 April 2008. Headline: Lightning warning for Bay of Plenty. Reference www.nzherald.co.nz, 16 April 2008. Headline: Warnings in place before 'rain bomb' - MetService. Reference www.nzherald.co.nz, 16 April 2008. Headline: Extreme weather dominates April. Reference www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 1 May 2008. Headline: Two injured after truck steamrolls crashed car on flooded road. Reference www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Bay of Plenty Times, 5 May 2008. Headline: Zapped! Second storm forecast tonight. Reference www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 27 June 2008. Headline: Lightning strike kills man near Dargaville. Reference www.radionz.co.nz, 15 April, 2008. Headline: Winter blast due in the south. Reference www.radionz.co.nz, 17 April 2008. Headline: Wife got to say goodbye to man hit by lightning. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, 15 April 2008. Headline: Canyoning tragedy victims named. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 April 2008. Headline: Seven die in canyoning tragedy. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, 16 April 2008. Headline: Lightning strike kills horseman. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dargaville News, 15 April 2008. Headline: Spectacular soaking. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Nelson Mail, 16 April 2008. Headline: Summer's end claims at least six lives. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Nelson Mail, 16 April 2008. Headline: Long summer ends. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Rodney Times, 17 April 2008. Headline: Rainfall relief finally at hand. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Waikato Times, 15 April 2008. Headline: Matamata swamped in deluge. Reference www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Waikato Times, 16 April 2008. Headline: Lightning kills horse rider. Reference tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 15 April 2008. Headline: Seven dead in drowning tragedy. Reference tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News and Newstalk ZB, 16 April 2008. MetService Email Lists Reference