NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue

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ModerateOctober 2008 North Island Storm ( 2008-10-07 )

The North Island was hit with high winds and heavy rain on the 7th. The winds were the strongest in Wellington and the Wairarapa.

North Island

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at North Island
Comments:

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 12:06 pm 06-Oct-2008: Spell of severe weather forecast over much of northern and central New Zealand on Tuesday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Nelson including Richmond Range, Marlborough Sounds, Tararua Range, hilly country from Taranaki to the Central North Island including Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui and headwaters of the Wanganui River, also eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty and the north of Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Wellington, Wairarapa and the Marlborough Sounds, also exposed areas of Taranaki, the Central North Island Plateau, southern Hawkes Bay, northern Gisborne and possibly higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula, Kaimai Range and Auckland.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:52 pm 06-Oct-2008: Spell of heavy rain and northwesterly gales for much of northern and central New Zealand on Tuesday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Nelson and Buller, the Marlborough Sounds, the Tararua Range, the hill country from Hamilton southwards to Taranaki and the Central Plateau, and the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Wellington, Wairarapa, the Marlborough Sounds, exposed parts of Taranaki, the North Island Central Plateau, inland Hawkes Bay, northern Gisborne, higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula, the Kaimai Ranges and possibly Auckland.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:30 am 07-Oct-2008: Spell of heavy rain and northwesterly gales for much of northern and central New Zealand today. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Nelson and Buller, the Marlborough Sounds, the Tararua Range, the hill country from Hamilton southwards to Taranaki and the Central Plateau, and the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Wellington, Wairarapa, the Marlborough Sounds, exposed parts of Taranaki, the North Island Central Plateau, inland Hawkes Bay, northern Gisborne, higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula, the Kaimai Ranges and possibly Auckland.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 4:30 pm 07-Oct-2008: Severe weather has eased about central New Zealand and should ease over northern New Zealand later this evening. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: the hill country from Hamilton southwards to the Central Plateau, and the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: inland Hawkes Bay, inland and northern Gisborne, the higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula and the Kaimai Ranges, exposed parts of Auckland and the islands of the outer Hauraki Gulf. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for: the ranges of western Nelson and Buller, the Richmond Ranges and Marlborough Sounds, the Tararua Range and Taranaki; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for: Wellington, Wairarapa, the Marlborough Sounds, Taranaki and the North Island Central Plateau.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:54 pm 07-Oct-2008: Severe weather easing overnight. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for: the hilly country from Hamilton southwards to the Central Plateau; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for: higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula, the Kaimai Ranges and Auckland including the islands of the Hauraki Gulf.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:42 am 08-Oct-2008: Severe weather has eased overnight. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for: the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for: exposed parts of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne.

CommentThe North Island was hit with high winds and heavy rain on the 7th. The winds were the strongest in Wellington and the Wairarapa. On the 8th there was flooding in some areas.

CauseOn the 7th, a trough in the Tasman and a low that formed in it both crossed New Zealand. North-westerlies ahead of it rose to severe gale force. The trough had moved away by the 8th, with a cold west to south-west flow over New Zealand, which brought snow to high country places. On the 9th, the flow weakened.

DurationFrom the 7th to the 8th of October.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust
Comments:

Affected LifelineAbout 6500 households and businesses had their power cut at some point on the 7th in Wellington, Wairarapa, Manawatu and Taranaki. 1700 electricity consumers in the lower and central North Island were without power on the night of the 7th.

CommentThe Fire Service central region communications centre received about 100 wind-related calls between 8.30am and midday.

Auckland

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Auckland International Airport
Map Location: -37.008447 174.782053
Comments:

Affected LifelineAt Auckland Airport, domestic flights were suspended for 40 minutes from 5pm due to strong winds and rain.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Manakau Entrance
Map Location: -37.041614 174.532189
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWinds of 83 km/hr were recorded at the Manukau Heads on the morning of the 7th.

Waikato

LandslideLandslide at Arohena
Map Location: -38.191193 175.61236
Comments:

Affected LifelineA huge slip took out the entire width of Waipapa Rd at Arohena following heavy rain in early October. The slip also took out a farm driveway and it was three weeks before access was restored. The slip was not likely to be fixed until the end of January, four months after it occurred.

Damage CostThe estimated cost of repair for the road was $200,000.

ImpactThree or four families living on the south side of the slip had children who attended Arohena Primary School on the north side. Most of the students were driven down and walked around the slip, to meet the school bus on the other side.

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Te Kuiti
Map Location: -38.3277 175.172348
Comments:

InjuriesSeveral people were left in hospital after an accident on SH3 3km north of Te Kuiti. Atrocious weather was blamed for a the collision involving a truck and trailer unit and two cars. The driver of one car was seriously injured and his woman passenger suffered critical injuries. An elderly couple in the other car suffered minor to moderate injuries in the crash.

Affected LifelineThe higway was closed while the accident was cleared.

Gisborne

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Gisborne
Comments:

CommentHigh winds brought trees and branches down all over the place but none had caused road closures.

Affected LifelineAt one stage late on the 7th, over 1000 Eastland Group consumers were without electricity. About 200 homes in isolated areas such as Tuai, inland from Matawai and inland on the East Coast were still without power the next morning. Most of the faults were caused by conductors clashing or trees coming over lines and the wind also brought down a line in Tiniroto Road just after 4pm.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Gisborne city
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicAround Gisborne the wind gusted at about 80 km/hr.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Matawai
Map Location: -38.356439 177.53729
Comments:

Physical Characteristic70 mm (7 cm) of rain was recorded in Matawai.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Ruatoria
Map Location: -37.890508 178.310264
Comments:

Physical Characteristic90 mm (9 cm) of rain was recorded in Ruatoria.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicThe strongest wind gust was 150 km/hr at the Rip station, inland from Ruatoria.

Hawke's Bay

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Hawke's Bay
Comments:

DamageAt least a dozen trees were downed in the region.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Roy's Hill
Map Location: -39.61659 176.72569
Comments:

DamageNear Roy's Hill, the winds brought down a 100-year-old Macrocarpa tree.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Takapau Plain
Map Location: -40.024013 176.343893
Comments:

ImpactTwo trucks were blown over on SH2 on the Takapau Plains.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Waikoau
Map Location: -39.23615 176.807725
Comments:

DamageWinds tore away roofing iron and insulation from a Waikoau house, leaving it scattered across the property as well as a neighbour's. Rain also fell into the house, covering everything in water.

Physical CharacteristicThe winds were estimated to have gusted up to 130 km/hr through the Waikoau district.

Taranaki

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Hawera
Map Location: -39.586876 174.27571
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWinds of 75 km/hr were recorded in Hawera at 6am.

FloodingFlooding at Kaupokonui Stream
Map Location: -39.348604 174.10584
Comments:

CasualtiesA woman (56 years old) died after being swept away while crossing the flooded Kaupokonui Stream just after midday on the 7th. She and her daughter were tramping back to Dawson Falls from Lake Dive Hut in Egmont National Park. The conditions at that time were quite extreme, with the river peaking around 12.30pm.

Physical CharacteristicAt the time the woman was swept away the flow rate of the stream was 3.58 cumecs.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain
Comments:

CommentSteady rain started at about 2am on the 7th. The storm had not been expected to start until that afternoon.

Manawatu-Wanganui

FloodingFlooding at Marton
Map Location: -40.075433 175.360474
Comments:

Affected LifelineHeavy flooding on SH1 by Calico Line forced diversions through the Marton township.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Mount Ruapehu
Map Location: -39.278843 175.567271
Comments:

ImpactHigh winds closed both sides of Mt Ruapehu.

FloodingFlooding at Opiki
Map Location: -40.444716 175.453033
Comments:

Affected LifelineOn the morning of the 8th, fields surrounding a section of highway near Opiki had become a lake, with only the top few centimetres of fence posts lining the highway breaking the surface.

LandslideLandslide at Palmerston North
Map Location: -40.355525 175.616438
Comments:

Affected LifelineLate in the afternoon a large slip occurred on the Pahiatua-Aokautere Rd (known as the Pahiatua Track) below the summit on the Palmerston North side. It was cleared soon after.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

CommentPalmerston North City Council received numerous calls about flash flooding in the streets, although they cleared quickly. Some of the floods were because of blocked drains and others were caused by the volume of water.

Wellington

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Wellington
Comments:

CommentWellington experienced severe gale force north westerlies on the morning of the 7th. The winds were starting to ease at midday.

CommentRoads in and around the region were littered with debris blown around by the winds.

DamageSeveral roofs were lifted by the winds and there were plenty of reports of broken windows. There were also reports of trampolines being blown around various suburbs, with some blown across roads and onto neighbouring roofs.

Affected LifelineThe wind and falling trees brought down power lines, cutting power to around 4000 people in Wellington and Wairarapa. 2500 PowerCo customers in Greytown, Martinborough, Mount Bruce, Cape Palliser and Lake Ferry lost their power. Power was cut to around 1,500 homes in Wellington, with outages in Miramar, Seaview, Karori, Mana and Upper Hutt.

CommentThe Fire Service received more than 85 calls relating to high winds in Wellington.

Physical CharacteristicWinds gusted up to 150 km/hr in the Wairarapa.

ImpactTrees were down on more than a dozen roads in the region.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain
Comments:

CommentThe strong northwesterlies were accompanied by torrential rain.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Brooklyn
Map Location: -41.308666 174.757001
Comments:

DamageA house in the suburb of Brooklyn had almost its whole roof ripped off.

FloodingFlooding at Martinborough
Map Location: -41.2171 175.436864
Comments:

Affected LifelineSH53 at Martinborough was closed until the 8th due to flooding.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Masterton
Map Location: -40.964296 175.667649
Comments:

ImpactLarge trees were blown down on the Masterton by-pass road (Paierau Rd). Trees were also blown down in other parts of the district.

LandslideLandslide at Matarawa
Map Location: -41.049961 175.439053
Comments:

Affected LifelineA major slip closed the road to the Waiohine Gorge Road, one of the eastern entrances to the Tararua Forest Park.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Miramar
Map Location: -41.316288 174.817531
Comments:

DamageA house in Mirarmar had its windows blown out by the wind just before 9am.

Affected LifelineA number of homes in Miramar were without power after trees blew onto lines.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Mt Kaukau
Map Location: -41.231345 174.77761
Comments:

Peak Wind SpeedWind gusts of up to 160 km/hr were recorded on Mount Kaukau.

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Opaki
Map Location: -40.892348 175.662395
Comments:

Affected LifelineA truck and trailer unit was blown over and rolled on Paierau Rd (the Masterton bypass road) near Opaki just before 9am on the 7th. Conditions at the time were terrible, with heavy rain, a slippery road and poor visibility. The road was closed from the Loop Line up to where the bypass meets SH2 at its north end.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Paekakariki
Map Location: -40.982766 174.944483
Comments:

DamageIn Paekakariki the wind brought down some small trees.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Paraparaumu
Map Location: -40.912244 174.986353
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWind gusts of 85 km/hr were recorded at Paraparaumu during the morning.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Rimutaka Hill
Map Location: -41.119029 175.230172
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWind gusts of up to 130 km/hr were recorded on the Rimutaka Hill Road during the morning.

ImpactOn the Rimutaka Hill Road (SH2), a vehicle was blown into a bank on the Wairarapa side.

Affected LifelineThe Rimutaka Hill Road was closed between 8.30am and 3.15pm due to excessive winds.

LandslideLandslide
Comments:

CommentThere was a slip on the Featherston side of the Rimutaka Hill Road during the evening.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Tararua Range
Map Location: -41.02991 175.273568
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicMore than 450 mm (45 cm) of rain fell over 30 hours, causing rivers within the forest parks to run high.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Upper Hutt
Map Location: -41.139372 175.055716
Comments:

Affected LifelineJust over 100 people in the Maidstone area of Upper Hutt were still without power in the afternoon.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Wellington City
Map Location: -41.28855 174.776764
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWind gusts of 102 km/hr were reported in downtown Wellington.

DamageConstruction material blowing loose in central Wellington appeared to have damaged buildings. Windows were blown in in some central city office buildings. Some containers were blown over at the port.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Wellington International Airport
Map Location: -41.329538 174.805351
Comments:

Affected Lifeline24 flights were either cancelled or diverted from Wellington Airport on the morning of the 7th. A small number of flights had to be diverted when winds became too strong and all flights were later suspended. Fifteen domestic Air New Zealand flights were cancelled along with a number of link services. Several flights were diverted to Palmerston North and Blenheim. Around 2500 passengers were affected. Flights resumed in the afternoon.

Otago

Snow / IceSnow / Ice at Arthurs Point
Map Location: -44.991567 168.660891
Comments:

CommentIt snowed sporadically at Arthurs Point throughout the day on the 8th.

Snow / IceSnow / Ice at Queenstown
Map Location: -45.041441 168.645105
Comments:

CommentThe weather pattern brought snow to Queenstown, with the fall starting around 7am.

Affected LifelineQueenstown Airport was closed for a time during the morning and early afternoon, with eight flights cancelled because of the weather. Snow fell at the airport and the runway closed because of poor visibility. On the 8th, two flights were affected early in the day.

References

Headline: Stormy weather due to buffet much of the country.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 7 October 2008, 8:50am.
Headline: Wild weather keeps emergency services busy in Wellington.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 7 October 2008, 12:15pm.
Headline: Wild wet windy weather hits Wellington.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 7 October 2008, 6:07pm.
Headline: Police find body of woman swept away in stream.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 7 October 2008, 8:53pm.
Headline: Tramper swept away in swollen stream found dead.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 7 October 2008, 10:15pm.
Headline: Winds knock power out for 1000 homes.
www.gisborneherald.co.nz, 8 October 2008.
Headline: Our house is toast!
www.hbtoday.co.nz, 8 October 2008.
Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). (2008). Climate summary for spring 2008. Newsletter 115, December 2008. 12-22
Headline: NZ buffeted by stormy weather today.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 8:51am.
Headline: Airport back in action after cancellations.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 2:00pm.
Headline: Woman washed away on Mt Taranaki.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 2:00pm.
Headline: Strong winds heading north.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 5:40pm.
Headline: Weather blamed for serious road smash.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 5:40pm.
Headline: Stream victim found.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 10:24pm.
Headline: Storm's winds hit 160km/h, Wellington flights cancelled .
www.nzherald.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 9:15am.
Headline: Winds hit 160km/h cancelling flights.
www.nzherald.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 12:27pm.
Headline: Flash flood sweeps hiker away.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and Otago Daily Times, 8 October 2008, 4:00am.
Headline: Woman's body found, weather wreaks havoc.
www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 7 October 2008, 9:41pm.
Headline: 85 wind calls to Fire Service.
www.radionz.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 1:14pm.
Headline: Wild weather leaves 1700 without power.
www.radionz.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 10:18pm.
Headline: Search teams find body in Taranaki river.
www.radionz.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 10:18pm.
Headline: Prepare for adverse conditions due to bad weather.
www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Department of Conservation, 8 October 2008, 2:47pm.
Headline: Wild weather stretches emergency services.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post and NZPA, 7 October 2008.
Headline: Woman swept away as rain, wind batters north.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post and NZPA, 7 October 2008.
Headline: Bad weather wreaks havoc around region.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 7 October 2008.
Headline: Havoc as winds leave trail of damage.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 8 October 2008.
Headline: Waters sweep the region.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Manawatu Standard, 9 October 2008.
Headline: Cold snap disrupts plans of travellers.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times, 9 October 2008.
Headline: Woman dies on Mt Taranaki.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 2008.
Headline: District learns to live with slip on doorstep.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Waikato Times, 20 November 2008.
Headline: Winds blow truck trailer over.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Wairarapa News, 9 October 2008.
Headline: High winds hammer lower Nth Island.
www.tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA and ONE News, 7 October 2008, 1:14pm.
Headline: Wild winds batter the North Island.
www.tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News and Newstalk ZB, 7 October 2008, 6:27pm.
Headline: Flash flood victim identified.
www.tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 8 October 2008, 7:38am.
MetService Email Lists

ModerateOctober 2008 North Island Storm ( 2008-10-07 )

The North Island was hit with high winds and heavy rain on the 7th. The winds were the strongest in Wellington and the Wairarapa.

North Island

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at North Island
Comments:

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 12:06 pm 06-Oct-2008: Spell of severe weather forecast over much of northern and central New Zealand on Tuesday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Nelson including Richmond Range, Marlborough Sounds, Tararua Range, hilly country from Taranaki to the Central North Island including Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui and headwaters of the Wanganui River, also eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty and the north of Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Wellington, Wairarapa and the Marlborough Sounds, also exposed areas of Taranaki, the Central North Island Plateau, southern Hawkes Bay, northern Gisborne and possibly higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula, Kaimai Range and Auckland.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:52 pm 06-Oct-2008: Spell of heavy rain and northwesterly gales for much of northern and central New Zealand on Tuesday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Nelson and Buller, the Marlborough Sounds, the Tararua Range, the hill country from Hamilton southwards to Taranaki and the Central Plateau, and the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Wellington, Wairarapa, the Marlborough Sounds, exposed parts of Taranaki, the North Island Central Plateau, inland Hawkes Bay, northern Gisborne, higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula, the Kaimai Ranges and possibly Auckland.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:30 am 07-Oct-2008: Spell of heavy rain and northwesterly gales for much of northern and central New Zealand today. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Nelson and Buller, the Marlborough Sounds, the Tararua Range, the hill country from Hamilton southwards to Taranaki and the Central Plateau, and the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Wellington, Wairarapa, the Marlborough Sounds, exposed parts of Taranaki, the North Island Central Plateau, inland Hawkes Bay, northern Gisborne, higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula, the Kaimai Ranges and possibly Auckland.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 4:30 pm 07-Oct-2008: Severe weather has eased about central New Zealand and should ease over northern New Zealand later this evening. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: the hill country from Hamilton southwards to the Central Plateau, and the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: inland Hawkes Bay, inland and northern Gisborne, the higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula and the Kaimai Ranges, exposed parts of Auckland and the islands of the outer Hauraki Gulf. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for: the ranges of western Nelson and Buller, the Richmond Ranges and Marlborough Sounds, the Tararua Range and Taranaki; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for: Wellington, Wairarapa, the Marlborough Sounds, Taranaki and the North Island Central Plateau.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:54 pm 07-Oct-2008: Severe weather easing overnight. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for: the hilly country from Hamilton southwards to the Central Plateau; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for: higher parts of Coromandel Peninsula, the Kaimai Ranges and Auckland including the islands of the Hauraki Gulf.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:42 am 08-Oct-2008: Severe weather has eased overnight. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for: the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty and northern Gisborne; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for: exposed parts of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne.

CommentThe North Island was hit with high winds and heavy rain on the 7th. The winds were the strongest in Wellington and the Wairarapa. On the 8th there was flooding in some areas.

CauseOn the 7th, a trough in the Tasman and a low that formed in it both crossed New Zealand. North-westerlies ahead of it rose to severe gale force. The trough had moved away by the 8th, with a cold west to south-west flow over New Zealand, which brought snow to high country places. On the 9th, the flow weakened.

DurationFrom the 7th to the 8th of October.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust
Comments:

Affected LifelineAbout 6500 households and businesses had their power cut at some point on the 7th in Wellington, Wairarapa, Manawatu and Taranaki. 1700 electricity consumers in the lower and central North Island were without power on the night of the 7th.

CommentThe Fire Service central region communications centre received about 100 wind-related calls between 8.30am and midday.

Auckland

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Auckland International Airport
Map Location: -37.008447 174.782053
Comments:

Affected LifelineAt Auckland Airport, domestic flights were suspended for 40 minutes from 5pm due to strong winds and rain.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Manakau Entrance
Map Location: -37.041614 174.532189
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWinds of 83 km/hr were recorded at the Manukau Heads on the morning of the 7th.

Waikato

LandslideLandslide at Arohena
Map Location: -38.191193 175.61236
Comments:

Affected LifelineA huge slip took out the entire width of Waipapa Rd at Arohena following heavy rain in early October. The slip also took out a farm driveway and it was three weeks before access was restored. The slip was not likely to be fixed until the end of January, four months after it occurred.

Damage CostThe estimated cost of repair for the road was $200,000.

ImpactThree or four families living on the south side of the slip had children who attended Arohena Primary School on the north side. Most of the students were driven down and walked around the slip, to meet the school bus on the other side.

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Te Kuiti
Map Location: -38.3277 175.172348
Comments:

InjuriesSeveral people were left in hospital after an accident on SH3 3km north of Te Kuiti. Atrocious weather was blamed for a the collision involving a truck and trailer unit and two cars. The driver of one car was seriously injured and his woman passenger suffered critical injuries. An elderly couple in the other car suffered minor to moderate injuries in the crash.

Affected LifelineThe higway was closed while the accident was cleared.

Gisborne

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Gisborne
Comments:

CommentHigh winds brought trees and branches down all over the place but none had caused road closures.

Affected LifelineAt one stage late on the 7th, over 1000 Eastland Group consumers were without electricity. About 200 homes in isolated areas such as Tuai, inland from Matawai and inland on the East Coast were still without power the next morning. Most of the faults were caused by conductors clashing or trees coming over lines and the wind also brought down a line in Tiniroto Road just after 4pm.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Gisborne city
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicAround Gisborne the wind gusted at about 80 km/hr.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Matawai
Map Location: -38.356439 177.53729
Comments:

Physical Characteristic70 mm (7 cm) of rain was recorded in Matawai.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Ruatoria
Map Location: -37.890508 178.310264
Comments:

Physical Characteristic90 mm (9 cm) of rain was recorded in Ruatoria.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicThe strongest wind gust was 150 km/hr at the Rip station, inland from Ruatoria.

Hawke's Bay

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Hawke's Bay
Comments:

DamageAt least a dozen trees were downed in the region.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Roy's Hill
Map Location: -39.61659 176.72569
Comments:

DamageNear Roy's Hill, the winds brought down a 100-year-old Macrocarpa tree.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Takapau Plain
Map Location: -40.024013 176.343893
Comments:

ImpactTwo trucks were blown over on SH2 on the Takapau Plains.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Waikoau
Map Location: -39.23615 176.807725
Comments:

DamageWinds tore away roofing iron and insulation from a Waikoau house, leaving it scattered across the property as well as a neighbour's. Rain also fell into the house, covering everything in water.

Physical CharacteristicThe winds were estimated to have gusted up to 130 km/hr through the Waikoau district.

Taranaki

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Hawera
Map Location: -39.586876 174.27571
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWinds of 75 km/hr were recorded in Hawera at 6am.

FloodingFlooding at Kaupokonui Stream
Map Location: -39.348604 174.10584
Comments:

CasualtiesA woman (56 years old) died after being swept away while crossing the flooded Kaupokonui Stream just after midday on the 7th. She and her daughter were tramping back to Dawson Falls from Lake Dive Hut in Egmont National Park. The conditions at that time were quite extreme, with the river peaking around 12.30pm.

Physical CharacteristicAt the time the woman was swept away the flow rate of the stream was 3.58 cumecs.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain
Comments:

CommentSteady rain started at about 2am on the 7th. The storm had not been expected to start until that afternoon.

Manawatu-Wanganui

FloodingFlooding at Marton
Map Location: -40.075433 175.360474
Comments:

Affected LifelineHeavy flooding on SH1 by Calico Line forced diversions through the Marton township.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Mount Ruapehu
Map Location: -39.278843 175.567271
Comments:

ImpactHigh winds closed both sides of Mt Ruapehu.

FloodingFlooding at Opiki
Map Location: -40.444716 175.453033
Comments:

Affected LifelineOn the morning of the 8th, fields surrounding a section of highway near Opiki had become a lake, with only the top few centimetres of fence posts lining the highway breaking the surface.

LandslideLandslide at Palmerston North
Map Location: -40.355525 175.616438
Comments:

Affected LifelineLate in the afternoon a large slip occurred on the Pahiatua-Aokautere Rd (known as the Pahiatua Track) below the summit on the Palmerston North side. It was cleared soon after.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

CommentPalmerston North City Council received numerous calls about flash flooding in the streets, although they cleared quickly. Some of the floods were because of blocked drains and others were caused by the volume of water.

Wellington

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Wellington
Comments:

CommentWellington experienced severe gale force north westerlies on the morning of the 7th. The winds were starting to ease at midday.

CommentRoads in and around the region were littered with debris blown around by the winds.

DamageSeveral roofs were lifted by the winds and there were plenty of reports of broken windows. There were also reports of trampolines being blown around various suburbs, with some blown across roads and onto neighbouring roofs.

Affected LifelineThe wind and falling trees brought down power lines, cutting power to around 4000 people in Wellington and Wairarapa. 2500 PowerCo customers in Greytown, Martinborough, Mount Bruce, Cape Palliser and Lake Ferry lost their power. Power was cut to around 1,500 homes in Wellington, with outages in Miramar, Seaview, Karori, Mana and Upper Hutt.

CommentThe Fire Service received more than 85 calls relating to high winds in Wellington.

Physical CharacteristicWinds gusted up to 150 km/hr in the Wairarapa.

ImpactTrees were down on more than a dozen roads in the region.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain
Comments:

CommentThe strong northwesterlies were accompanied by torrential rain.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Brooklyn
Map Location: -41.308666 174.757001
Comments:

DamageA house in the suburb of Brooklyn had almost its whole roof ripped off.

FloodingFlooding at Martinborough
Map Location: -41.2171 175.436864
Comments:

Affected LifelineSH53 at Martinborough was closed until the 8th due to flooding.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Masterton
Map Location: -40.964296 175.667649
Comments:

ImpactLarge trees were blown down on the Masterton by-pass road (Paierau Rd). Trees were also blown down in other parts of the district.

LandslideLandslide at Matarawa
Map Location: -41.049961 175.439053
Comments:

Affected LifelineA major slip closed the road to the Waiohine Gorge Road, one of the eastern entrances to the Tararua Forest Park.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Miramar
Map Location: -41.316288 174.817531
Comments:

DamageA house in Mirarmar had its windows blown out by the wind just before 9am.

Affected LifelineA number of homes in Miramar were without power after trees blew onto lines.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Mt Kaukau
Map Location: -41.231345 174.77761
Comments:

Peak Wind SpeedWind gusts of up to 160 km/hr were recorded on Mount Kaukau.

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Opaki
Map Location: -40.892348 175.662395
Comments:

Affected LifelineA truck and trailer unit was blown over and rolled on Paierau Rd (the Masterton bypass road) near Opaki just before 9am on the 7th. Conditions at the time were terrible, with heavy rain, a slippery road and poor visibility. The road was closed from the Loop Line up to where the bypass meets SH2 at its north end.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Paekakariki
Map Location: -40.982766 174.944483
Comments:

DamageIn Paekakariki the wind brought down some small trees.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Paraparaumu
Map Location: -40.912244 174.986353
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWind gusts of 85 km/hr were recorded at Paraparaumu during the morning.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Rimutaka Hill
Map Location: -41.119029 175.230172
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWind gusts of up to 130 km/hr were recorded on the Rimutaka Hill Road during the morning.

ImpactOn the Rimutaka Hill Road (SH2), a vehicle was blown into a bank on the Wairarapa side.

Affected LifelineThe Rimutaka Hill Road was closed between 8.30am and 3.15pm due to excessive winds.

LandslideLandslide
Comments:

CommentThere was a slip on the Featherston side of the Rimutaka Hill Road during the evening.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Tararua Range
Map Location: -41.02991 175.273568
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicMore than 450 mm (45 cm) of rain fell over 30 hours, causing rivers within the forest parks to run high.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Upper Hutt
Map Location: -41.139372 175.055716
Comments:

Affected LifelineJust over 100 people in the Maidstone area of Upper Hutt were still without power in the afternoon.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Wellington City
Map Location: -41.28855 174.776764
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWind gusts of 102 km/hr were reported in downtown Wellington.

DamageConstruction material blowing loose in central Wellington appeared to have damaged buildings. Windows were blown in in some central city office buildings. Some containers were blown over at the port.

High Wind GustsHigh Wind / Gust at Wellington International Airport
Map Location: -41.329538 174.805351
Comments:

Affected Lifeline24 flights were either cancelled or diverted from Wellington Airport on the morning of the 7th. A small number of flights had to be diverted when winds became too strong and all flights were later suspended. Fifteen domestic Air New Zealand flights were cancelled along with a number of link services. Several flights were diverted to Palmerston North and Blenheim. Around 2500 passengers were affected. Flights resumed in the afternoon.

Otago

Snow / IceSnow / Ice at Arthurs Point
Map Location: -44.991567 168.660891
Comments:

CommentIt snowed sporadically at Arthurs Point throughout the day on the 8th.

Snow / IceSnow / Ice at Queenstown
Map Location: -45.041441 168.645105
Comments:

CommentThe weather pattern brought snow to Queenstown, with the fall starting around 7am.

Affected LifelineQueenstown Airport was closed for a time during the morning and early afternoon, with eight flights cancelled because of the weather. Snow fell at the airport and the runway closed because of poor visibility. On the 8th, two flights were affected early in the day.

References

Headline: Stormy weather due to buffet much of the country.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 7 October 2008, 8:50am.
Headline: Wild weather keeps emergency services busy in Wellington.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 7 October 2008, 12:15pm.
Headline: Wild wet windy weather hits Wellington.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 7 October 2008, 6:07pm.
Headline: Police find body of woman swept away in stream.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 7 October 2008, 8:53pm.
Headline: Tramper swept away in swollen stream found dead.
www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 7 October 2008, 10:15pm.
Headline: Winds knock power out for 1000 homes.
www.gisborneherald.co.nz, 8 October 2008.
Headline: Our house is toast!
www.hbtoday.co.nz, 8 October 2008.
Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). (2008). Climate summary for spring 2008. Newsletter 115, December 2008. 12-22
Headline: NZ buffeted by stormy weather today.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 8:51am.
Headline: Airport back in action after cancellations.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 2:00pm.
Headline: Woman washed away on Mt Taranaki.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 2:00pm.
Headline: Strong winds heading north.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 5:40pm.
Headline: Weather blamed for serious road smash.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 5:40pm.
Headline: Stream victim found.
www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 10:24pm.
Headline: Storm's winds hit 160km/h, Wellington flights cancelled .
www.nzherald.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 9:15am.
Headline: Winds hit 160km/h cancelling flights.
www.nzherald.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 12:27pm.
Headline: Flash flood sweeps hiker away.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and Otago Daily Times, 8 October 2008, 4:00am.
Headline: Woman's body found, weather wreaks havoc.
www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 7 October 2008, 9:41pm.
Headline: 85 wind calls to Fire Service.
www.radionz.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 1:14pm.
Headline: Wild weather leaves 1700 without power.
www.radionz.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 10:18pm.
Headline: Search teams find body in Taranaki river.
www.radionz.co.nz, 7 October 2008, 10:18pm.
Headline: Prepare for adverse conditions due to bad weather.
www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Department of Conservation, 8 October 2008, 2:47pm.
Headline: Wild weather stretches emergency services.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post and NZPA, 7 October 2008.
Headline: Woman swept away as rain, wind batters north.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post and NZPA, 7 October 2008.
Headline: Bad weather wreaks havoc around region.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 7 October 2008.
Headline: Havoc as winds leave trail of damage.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 8 October 2008.
Headline: Waters sweep the region.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Manawatu Standard, 9 October 2008.
Headline: Cold snap disrupts plans of travellers.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times, 9 October 2008.
Headline: Woman dies on Mt Taranaki.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 2008.
Headline: District learns to live with slip on doorstep.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Waikato Times, 20 November 2008.
Headline: Winds blow truck trailer over.
www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Wairarapa News, 9 October 2008.
Headline: High winds hammer lower Nth Island.
www.tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA and ONE News, 7 October 2008, 1:14pm.
Headline: Wild winds batter the North Island.
www.tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News and Newstalk ZB, 7 October 2008, 6:27pm.
Headline: Flash flood victim identified.
www.tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 8 October 2008, 7:38am.
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