NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
July 1951 Lower South Island Storm
(
1951-07-16
)
Heavy rain and melting snow caused extensive flooding in many parts of Southland, Otago and Marlborough.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 3 days - Heavy rain and melting snow caused extensive flooding in many parts of Southland, Otago and Marlborough from the 16th to the 18th of July 1951.
Marlborough
Multi Hazard
at
Marlborough
The most severe wind and rainstorm experienced for some years struck the north-west part of Marlborough on the 17th and 18th.
Flooding
Rivers rose to high levels with consequent floods.
High Wind / Gust
at
Picton
Wind caused damage in the Picton area.
Flooding
at
Renwick
Wairau Bridge at Renwick was seriously damaged when three piles were washed out of a pier and traffic was suspended.
Flooding
at
Spring Creek
Wairau River rose 10 ft 6 in (3.2 m) above normal at Spring Creek.
Wairau River had a peak discharge of 66,000 cusecs (1869 cumecs) at Tuamarina from 1600 sq miles (4144 km^2).
Multi Hazard
at
Wairau River
The flood in the Wairau River resulted from a combination of heavy rain and warm winds melting extensive snow fields on the main ranges.
Flooding
Several roads throughout the district were impassable due to flood waters.
Otago
Heavy Rain
at
Otago
Flooding occurred in the Otago region on the 16th and 17th of July due to torrential rain and quick thaw of snow.
Heaviest rain fell in the Queenstown, Wanaka and Cromwell, and Tarras areas.
Flooding
It was the quickest thaw for many years. As an indication of the quickness of the thaw, 10 in (25.4 cm) of snow lying on a paddock at Wedderburn disappeared in 24 hours.
Flooding blocked many roads in Central Otago. Six state and main highways were impassable.
Telephone and telegraph communications were disorganised. Telephone lines were affected in Roxburgh, Alexandra. Clyde, Cromwell, Hawea Flat and Wanaka.
There was serious damage to roads by flooding and scouring.
The damage to Lake County main highways amounted to £5200 ($281,300 2010 dollars).
The damage to Lake County roads amounted to £740 ($40,000 2010 dollars).
High Wind / Gust
High velocity winds occurred in Central Otago on the 17th with peak velocity ocurring at about 10am.
Flooding
at
Alexandra
Clutha River had a peak level of 16 ft 6 in (5 m) on on the Alexandra gauge.
Clutha River had an estimated peak discharge of 43,000 cusecs (1218 cumecs) from a catchment area of 4751 sq miles (12,305 km^2).
Flooding
at
Arrow River
The Arrow River was in high flood.
Flooding
at
Cardrona River
The Cardrona River flooded.
Flooding
at
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu rose at rate 1.5 in per hour (3.8 cm/hr).
High Wind / Gust
at
Livingstone
A cloud of dust from Kurow caused haze over Livingstone.
High Wind / Gust
at
Naseby
The full force of gale occurred in Naseby resulting in two properties damaged and trees ripped out.
High Wind / Gust
at
Oamaru
There was a north-west wind in Oamaru which at times almost reached gale force.
The roof was torn from the Oamaru Showgrounds grandstand, the engine sheds roof was damaged, some windows were blown out and one section of the roof was carried about 75 yards.
The high winds removed or damaged roofs of several houses and blew down trees, fences and wireless poles.
The electric power service disrupted (13 power faults) and the power was cut for an hour and 26 minutes.
The south bound express train was delayed by fallen trees on the line.
Flooding
at
Queenstown
Queenstown isolated by impassable roads.
Landslide
There was a slip on the Kingston-Queenstown road.
Flooding
at
Roxburgh
Clutha River rose 10 ft (3 m) above normal at the Roxburgh hydro dam.
Flooding
at
Shotover River
The Shotover River was at its highest level in many years.
Multi Hazard
at
Skippers
There were reports of avalanches in Skipper's area.
Southland
Heavy Rain
at
Southland
Heavy rain and melting snow caused extensive flooding in many parts of Southland on the 17th and 18th.
Flooding
Damage to state highways totalled £1470 ($79,500 2010 dollars).
Damage to main highways totalled £545 ($29,500 2010 dollars).
Flooding
at
Aparima River
The Aparima River was at a high level.
Flooding
at
Garston
Extensive flooding occurred in the Garston area which resulted in many bridges becoming damaged and unusable.
Flooding
at
Gore
In Gore, the Mataura River rose 7 ft 6 in (2.3 m) above normal.
Multi Hazard
at
Invercargill
Power failure occurred in Invercargill
High Wind / Gust
Gale force wind on 16th night
Flooding
at
Nokomai
The Mataura River broke a stop bank at Nokomai and a creek in the area washd away a large amount of ballast from the railway track.
Flooding
at
Riverton
The Riverton Road was impassable to traffic and the Iron Bridge was several feet under water
Flooding
at
Winton
The Oreti River rose 8 ft (2.4 m) at the Winton Bridge.
Extensive flooding occurred in the Winton area which resulted in many bridges becoming damaged and unusable.
References
- Cowie, C.A.; Attwood, A.K. (1957). Floods in New Zealand, 1920-53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand,239p.
- Headline: Destructive Storm: High Wind in Central Otago, Thaw Causes Flooding.
- Otago Daily Times, 18 July 1951.
- Headline: Gale Havoc: Roofs Damaged in North Otago.
- Otago Daily Times, 18 July 1951.
- Headline: Southland Rivers in Flood.
- Otago Daily Times, 18 July 1951.
July 1951 Lower South Island Storm
(
1951-07-16
)
Heavy rain and melting snow caused extensive flooding in many parts of Southland, Otago and Marlborough.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 3 days - Heavy rain and melting snow caused extensive flooding in many parts of Southland, Otago and Marlborough from the 16th to the 18th of July 1951.
Marlborough
Multi Hazard
at
Marlborough
The most severe wind and rainstorm experienced for some years struck the north-west part of Marlborough on the 17th and 18th.
Flooding
Rivers rose to high levels with consequent floods.
High Wind / Gust
at
Picton
Wind caused damage in the Picton area.
Flooding
at
Renwick
Wairau Bridge at Renwick was seriously damaged when three piles were washed out of a pier and traffic was suspended.
Flooding
at
Spring Creek
Wairau River rose 10 ft 6 in (3.2 m) above normal at Spring Creek.
Wairau River had a peak discharge of 66,000 cusecs (1869 cumecs) at Tuamarina from 1600 sq miles (4144 km^2).
Multi Hazard
at
Wairau River
The flood in the Wairau River resulted from a combination of heavy rain and warm winds melting extensive snow fields on the main ranges.
Flooding
Several roads throughout the district were impassable due to flood waters.
Otago
Heavy Rain
at
Otago
Flooding occurred in the Otago region on the 16th and 17th of July due to torrential rain and quick thaw of snow.
Heaviest rain fell in the Queenstown, Wanaka and Cromwell, and Tarras areas.
Flooding
It was the quickest thaw for many years. As an indication of the quickness of the thaw, 10 in (25.4 cm) of snow lying on a paddock at Wedderburn disappeared in 24 hours.
Flooding blocked many roads in Central Otago. Six state and main highways were impassable.
Telephone and telegraph communications were disorganised. Telephone lines were affected in Roxburgh, Alexandra. Clyde, Cromwell, Hawea Flat and Wanaka.
There was serious damage to roads by flooding and scouring.
The damage to Lake County main highways amounted to £5200 ($281,300 2010 dollars).
The damage to Lake County roads amounted to £740 ($40,000 2010 dollars).
High Wind / Gust
High velocity winds occurred in Central Otago on the 17th with peak velocity ocurring at about 10am.
Flooding
at
Alexandra
Clutha River had a peak level of 16 ft 6 in (5 m) on on the Alexandra gauge.
Clutha River had an estimated peak discharge of 43,000 cusecs (1218 cumecs) from a catchment area of 4751 sq miles (12,305 km^2).
Flooding
at
Arrow River
The Arrow River was in high flood.
Flooding
at
Cardrona River
The Cardrona River flooded.
Flooding
at
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu rose at rate 1.5 in per hour (3.8 cm/hr).
High Wind / Gust
at
Livingstone
A cloud of dust from Kurow caused haze over Livingstone.
High Wind / Gust
at
Naseby
The full force of gale occurred in Naseby resulting in two properties damaged and trees ripped out.
High Wind / Gust
at
Oamaru
There was a north-west wind in Oamaru which at times almost reached gale force.
The roof was torn from the Oamaru Showgrounds grandstand, the engine sheds roof was damaged, some windows were blown out and one section of the roof was carried about 75 yards.
The high winds removed or damaged roofs of several houses and blew down trees, fences and wireless poles.
The electric power service disrupted (13 power faults) and the power was cut for an hour and 26 minutes.
The south bound express train was delayed by fallen trees on the line.
Flooding
at
Queenstown
Queenstown isolated by impassable roads.
Landslide
There was a slip on the Kingston-Queenstown road.
Flooding
at
Roxburgh
Clutha River rose 10 ft (3 m) above normal at the Roxburgh hydro dam.
Flooding
at
Shotover River
The Shotover River was at its highest level in many years.
Multi Hazard
at
Skippers
There were reports of avalanches in Skipper's area.
Southland
Heavy Rain
at
Southland
Heavy rain and melting snow caused extensive flooding in many parts of Southland on the 17th and 18th.
Flooding
Damage to state highways totalled £1470 ($79,500 2010 dollars).
Damage to main highways totalled £545 ($29,500 2010 dollars).
Flooding
at
Aparima River
The Aparima River was at a high level.
Flooding
at
Garston
Extensive flooding occurred in the Garston area which resulted in many bridges becoming damaged and unusable.
Flooding
at
Gore
In Gore, the Mataura River rose 7 ft 6 in (2.3 m) above normal.
Multi Hazard
at
Invercargill
Power failure occurred in Invercargill
High Wind / Gust
Gale force wind on 16th night
Flooding
at
Nokomai
The Mataura River broke a stop bank at Nokomai and a creek in the area washd away a large amount of ballast from the railway track.
Flooding
at
Riverton
The Riverton Road was impassable to traffic and the Iron Bridge was several feet under water
Flooding
at
Winton
The Oreti River rose 8 ft (2.4 m) at the Winton Bridge.
Extensive flooding occurred in the Winton area which resulted in many bridges becoming damaged and unusable.
References
- Cowie, C.A.; Attwood, A.K. (1957). Floods in New Zealand, 1920-53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand,239p.
- Headline: Destructive Storm: High Wind in Central Otago, Thaw Causes Flooding.
- Otago Daily Times, 18 July 1951.
- Headline: Gale Havoc: Roofs Damaged in North Otago.
- Otago Daily Times, 18 July 1951.
- Headline: Southland Rivers in Flood.
- Otago Daily Times, 18 July 1951.