NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
December 1979 South Island Storm
(
1979-12-02
)
22 years
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Mackenzie Country including Mt Cook after a storm hit the South Island on the 2nd of December.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 3 days - From the 2nd to the 4th of December.
West Coast
Flooding
at
Franz Josef
The Waiho River broke through the protection works, south of Canavans Knob to Docherty Creek. It may have been caused by the flood event on the 2nd December.
Canterbury
Multi Hazard
at
Canterbury
There was a storm on the 2nd of December.
Flooding
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Mackenzie Country including Mt Cook on the 2nd to the 4th.
Heavy Rain
at
Mount Cook
Mount Cook recorded 537 mm (53.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 2nd. This was the record 24-hour rainfall (as at 2009).
High Wind / Gust
at
Mount Cook Village
Winds cut off telephone communications at Mount Cook village.
Flooding
at
Waimakariri River
Waimakariri River flooded on the 3rd.
It had a peak discharge of 2910 cumecs on the 3rd.
Otago
Flooding
at
Otago
There was torrential rain in Central Otago which caused flooding.
State Highway 6 and 73 and highway 72, 80 and 94 were closed.
Lightning
There was an electrical storm in the Queenstown and Arrowtown area resulting in a power blackout on the 2nd.
High Wind / Gust
There were gale force winds in the Lauder and Becks area.
The wind brought down power lines.
Six flights out of the Dunedin airport were postponed.
Flooding
at
Kawerau River
The Kawarau River was only 0.4 m below the peak it reached druing the October 1978 floods.
60 children and teachers where due to move out of their camp on the 2nd. Two groups of children were brought out by land-rover and the rest had to be brought out by hellcopter.
Flooding
at
Lake Hawea
Lake Hawea rose 0.65 m.
Flooding
at
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu rose 1 m.
Flooding
at
Lake Wanaka
Lake Wanaka rose 1.5 m.
Flooding
at
Makarora River
It was the biggest flood in 22 years.
Kilometres of fencing was knocked down.
Stock losses were minimal.
Electricity and telephone connections were restored on the 4th.
The Makarora River bridge was washed out.
Snow / Ice
Fresh snow fell on the mountaintops.
Flooding
at
Roxburgh
The peak flow recorded at the Roxburgh dam was 1.48 cumecs on the 3rd.
Southland
Flooding
at
Mataura River
The annual maximum flood discharge of the Mataura River occurred on the 4th with a peak discharge of 550 cumecs.
References
- Headline: Civil Defence declaration since 1 January 1963.
- Declared Civil Defence Emergencies,
- Milligan, A. (2002). Waiho River Flooding Assessment for Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, August 2002. Report 80295/2. Optimx Ltd., Wellington. 51 p.
- Headline: Storm Hits Otago
- Otago Daily Times, 3 December 1979.
- Headline: Storm Damage Repairs Begin
- Otago Daily Times, 4 December 1979.
- Surface Water Hydrology of the Mataura River Catchment.
- Headline: Big-river flood haunts a city.
- The Press, 22 September 1995.
- Headline: Heavy rain prompts flood alert.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 28 April 2009, 5:00am.
December 1979 South Island Storm
(
1979-12-02
)
22 years
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Mackenzie Country including Mt Cook after a storm hit the South Island on the 2nd of December.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 3 days - From the 2nd to the 4th of December.
West Coast
Flooding
at
Franz Josef
The Waiho River broke through the protection works, south of Canavans Knob to Docherty Creek. It may have been caused by the flood event on the 2nd December.
Canterbury
Multi Hazard
at
Canterbury
There was a storm on the 2nd of December.
Flooding
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Mackenzie Country including Mt Cook on the 2nd to the 4th.
Heavy Rain
at
Mount Cook
Mount Cook recorded 537 mm (53.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 2nd. This was the record 24-hour rainfall (as at 2009).
High Wind / Gust
at
Mount Cook Village
Winds cut off telephone communications at Mount Cook village.
Flooding
at
Waimakariri River
Waimakariri River flooded on the 3rd.
It had a peak discharge of 2910 cumecs on the 3rd.
Otago
Flooding
at
Otago
There was torrential rain in Central Otago which caused flooding.
State Highway 6 and 73 and highway 72, 80 and 94 were closed.
Lightning
There was an electrical storm in the Queenstown and Arrowtown area resulting in a power blackout on the 2nd.
High Wind / Gust
There were gale force winds in the Lauder and Becks area.
The wind brought down power lines.
Six flights out of the Dunedin airport were postponed.
Flooding
at
Kawerau River
The Kawarau River was only 0.4 m below the peak it reached druing the October 1978 floods.
60 children and teachers where due to move out of their camp on the 2nd. Two groups of children were brought out by land-rover and the rest had to be brought out by hellcopter.
Flooding
at
Lake Hawea
Lake Hawea rose 0.65 m.
Flooding
at
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu rose 1 m.
Flooding
at
Lake Wanaka
Lake Wanaka rose 1.5 m.
Flooding
at
Makarora River
It was the biggest flood in 22 years.
Kilometres of fencing was knocked down.
Stock losses were minimal.
Electricity and telephone connections were restored on the 4th.
The Makarora River bridge was washed out.
Snow / Ice
Fresh snow fell on the mountaintops.
Flooding
at
Roxburgh
The peak flow recorded at the Roxburgh dam was 1.48 cumecs on the 3rd.
Southland
Flooding
at
Mataura River
The annual maximum flood discharge of the Mataura River occurred on the 4th with a peak discharge of 550 cumecs.
References
- Headline: Civil Defence declaration since 1 January 1963.
- Declared Civil Defence Emergencies,
- Milligan, A. (2002). Waiho River Flooding Assessment for Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, August 2002. Report 80295/2. Optimx Ltd., Wellington. 51 p.
- Headline: Storm Hits Otago
- Otago Daily Times, 3 December 1979.
- Headline: Storm Damage Repairs Begin
- Otago Daily Times, 4 December 1979.
- Surface Water Hydrology of the Mataura River Catchment.
- Headline: Big-river flood haunts a city.
- The Press, 22 September 1995.
- Headline: Heavy rain prompts flood alert.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 28 April 2009, 5:00am.