NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
July 1906 Southland High Wind
(
1906-07-04
)
High winds in Southland caused damage to buildings and property. The storm also brought hail, lightning, heavy rain, flooding, and a very high tide at Invercargill.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
The train from Dunedin to Invercargill was delayed as it had to be taken over the Shepherd's grade into Waipahi in two sections.
Southland
Multi Hazard
at
Southland
Duration: 1 day - From the night of the 4th till the morning of the 5th.
High Wind / Gust
The Officer in Charge of the Telegraph and Telephone service said that the damage to telegraph and telephone lines was the greatest in the 30 years he had been on the staff.
Telegraphic communication between Invercargill and Nightcaps was interrupted by the collapse of a number of poles beyond Otautau. The main north telegraph lines were mixed up, causing delays.There was a break in the Clinton wire between Edendale and Woodlands.
High Wind / Gust
at
Bluff
The storm on the night of the 4th and on the 5th was one of the most severe ever experienced at Bluff.
Considerable damage was caused to several of the cutters and many fences throughout the township were levelled with the ground.
Maritime / Coastal
The steamer Ripple was unable to leave port on the 5th and the Theresa Ward was delayed in getting to Bluff.
High Wind / Gust
at
Gore
There was a fierce gale in Gore early on the morning of the 5th.
The gale levelled a 60 foot (18 m) electric arc pole and several telegraph posts.
Telegraphic communication was interrupted.
High Wind / Gust
at
Invercargill
A gale from the west struck Invercargill with unusual violence at about 2am on the 5th. A light wind on the afternoon of the 4th gradually increased in vigour until at 2am it was blowing a full hurricane. The gale was marked by moments of extreme ferocity, followed by periods of comparative calm. After daylight the gale gradually abated and a moderate westerley was blowing by the afternoon.
Chimneys, fences and windows were damaged.
A few structures were blown down and a number of smaller buildings were blown askew. Some tile-covered houses suffered a little.
The wind boomed like the roar of a tidal wave and shrieked round houses and through the trees. Wooden buildings trembled on their foundations, windows rattled and roofs strained.
Greenhouses suffered extensively, a few chimneys and windows were damaged and many fences suffered. Some telegraph poles were blown over or tilted out of position. A number of trees in Victoria Ave were uproooted by the furious squalls. A large number of headstones in the Eastern cemetery were blown over and a few were broken. Wreathes and glass shades were blown in all directions and suffered severely.
Lightning
The storm was accompanied by brilliant flashes of lightning and rolling peals of thunder.
Hail
Sharp bursts of hail accompanied the storm.
Heavy Rain
There were sharp bursts of rain.
Multi Hazard
Few people remembered a storm so terrific.
Only minor damage was done.
The telephone service was working badly in Invercargill on the 5th due to the number of contacts.
Maritime / Coastal
The furious gale banked up the waters of the esturary. No one remebered a higher tide than the one at high water on the afternoon of the 5th.
The paddocks from the back of the gasworks and on both sides of the railway, out towards Gladstone were completely under water.The water came up to the west side of Liffey St. The low-lying part of Avenal was inundated and a few houses were surrounded by water, of which at least two were entered by water.
The water was almost up to the level of the railway line. The bottom paddock of the new gaol reserve was feet deep in places.
A young horse left in one of the paddocks was drowned.
Flooding
Puni (Otepuni) Creek overflowed and the water spread out over the flower garden and tennis green in the lowest block.
At the jetty the water was within an inch or two of the deck.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mataura
A heavy south-west gale prevailed throughout the night of the 4th in Mataura.
The gale completely wrecked the framework of the new rabbit sheds at the Freezing Works, driving the entire structure over towards the river and levelling it down to the floor. A shed at the paper mills was also levelled.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ocean Beach
Seven telegraph poles between Ocean Beach and Awarua Siding were torn out of the ground.
High Wind / Gust
at
West Plains
The railway station at West Plains was lifted and thrown across a ditch at the back
References
- Headline: Storm in Invercargill.
- The Southland Times, 6 July 1906.
- Headline: The weather: Storm damage at Invercargill.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Wanganui Herald, 5 July 1906.
July 1906 Southland High Wind
(
1906-07-04
)
High winds in Southland caused damage to buildings and property. The storm also brought hail, lightning, heavy rain, flooding, and a very high tide at Invercargill.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
The train from Dunedin to Invercargill was delayed as it had to be taken over the Shepherd's grade into Waipahi in two sections.
Southland
Multi Hazard
at
Southland
Duration: 1 day - From the night of the 4th till the morning of the 5th.
High Wind / Gust
The Officer in Charge of the Telegraph and Telephone service said that the damage to telegraph and telephone lines was the greatest in the 30 years he had been on the staff.
Telegraphic communication between Invercargill and Nightcaps was interrupted by the collapse of a number of poles beyond Otautau. The main north telegraph lines were mixed up, causing delays.There was a break in the Clinton wire between Edendale and Woodlands.
High Wind / Gust
at
Bluff
The storm on the night of the 4th and on the 5th was one of the most severe ever experienced at Bluff.
Considerable damage was caused to several of the cutters and many fences throughout the township were levelled with the ground.
Maritime / Coastal
The steamer Ripple was unable to leave port on the 5th and the Theresa Ward was delayed in getting to Bluff.
High Wind / Gust
at
Gore
There was a fierce gale in Gore early on the morning of the 5th.
The gale levelled a 60 foot (18 m) electric arc pole and several telegraph posts.
Telegraphic communication was interrupted.
High Wind / Gust
at
Invercargill
A gale from the west struck Invercargill with unusual violence at about 2am on the 5th. A light wind on the afternoon of the 4th gradually increased in vigour until at 2am it was blowing a full hurricane. The gale was marked by moments of extreme ferocity, followed by periods of comparative calm. After daylight the gale gradually abated and a moderate westerley was blowing by the afternoon.
Chimneys, fences and windows were damaged.
A few structures were blown down and a number of smaller buildings were blown askew. Some tile-covered houses suffered a little.
The wind boomed like the roar of a tidal wave and shrieked round houses and through the trees. Wooden buildings trembled on their foundations, windows rattled and roofs strained.
Greenhouses suffered extensively, a few chimneys and windows were damaged and many fences suffered. Some telegraph poles were blown over or tilted out of position. A number of trees in Victoria Ave were uproooted by the furious squalls. A large number of headstones in the Eastern cemetery were blown over and a few were broken. Wreathes and glass shades were blown in all directions and suffered severely.
Lightning
The storm was accompanied by brilliant flashes of lightning and rolling peals of thunder.
Hail
Sharp bursts of hail accompanied the storm.
Heavy Rain
There were sharp bursts of rain.
Multi Hazard
Few people remembered a storm so terrific.
Only minor damage was done.
The telephone service was working badly in Invercargill on the 5th due to the number of contacts.
Maritime / Coastal
The furious gale banked up the waters of the esturary. No one remebered a higher tide than the one at high water on the afternoon of the 5th.
The paddocks from the back of the gasworks and on both sides of the railway, out towards Gladstone were completely under water.The water came up to the west side of Liffey St. The low-lying part of Avenal was inundated and a few houses were surrounded by water, of which at least two were entered by water.
The water was almost up to the level of the railway line. The bottom paddock of the new gaol reserve was feet deep in places.
A young horse left in one of the paddocks was drowned.
Flooding
Puni (Otepuni) Creek overflowed and the water spread out over the flower garden and tennis green in the lowest block.
At the jetty the water was within an inch or two of the deck.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mataura
A heavy south-west gale prevailed throughout the night of the 4th in Mataura.
The gale completely wrecked the framework of the new rabbit sheds at the Freezing Works, driving the entire structure over towards the river and levelling it down to the floor. A shed at the paper mills was also levelled.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ocean Beach
Seven telegraph poles between Ocean Beach and Awarua Siding were torn out of the ground.
High Wind / Gust
at
West Plains
The railway station at West Plains was lifted and thrown across a ditch at the back
References
- Headline: Storm in Invercargill.
- The Southland Times, 6 July 1906.
- Headline: The weather: Storm damage at Invercargill.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Wanganui Herald, 5 July 1906.