NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
August 1905 North Island Storm
(
1905-08-01
)
Heavy rain and heavy winds causing flooding in the North Island
Northland
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
There is no recollection of a heavier downpour of rain descending in this district in so short a space of time a during last night (2nd August)
Multi Hazard
The torrential downpour of last night has caused an exceptional rise in the creeks and rivers
Flooding
The heaviest floods known for the past three years have occurred from the Waiotu, Hukerenui and Whakapara Rivers
The cellars of the Whangarei and the Commercial Hotels and several other buildings were flooded
The approaches of a bridge on the Otaika Road were washed away
Telegraphic communication between Whangarei and Auckland is entirely suspended
Landslide
at
Hikurangi
Several large slips have covered the 60 chains of tramline at the Northern Colliery Company's mine, andt at the tip the line has sunk over 2 ft
Flooding
The Hikurangi Coal Company is partially flooded to a depth of several feet
At the Phoenix mine matters are even worse, the flooding being of a greater extent, it is not expected that work will be resumed for a week
Multi Hazard
at
Russell
A strong north-easter blew all day on August 1, and it increased at night to a heavy gale, with torrents of rain and lightning
High Wind / Gust
The old British Residency, Victoria has suffered very severely, trees have been torn up by the roots, all the chimneys of the house blown down, smashing doors and windows in falling and the verandah has been blown clean away
Multi Hazard
at
Kaitaia
On August 2, the biggest flood since 1897 was experienced after 24 hours of heavy rain
Flooding
The Kaitaia and Magaweta rivers overflowed their banks and inundated several miles of country
The water was running over the road, in many places several feet deep
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland
The easterly gale set in on Tuesday (1st August) and continued until Wednesday (2nd August) morning
Multi Hazard
Between 2 and 4 a.m Wednesday (2nd August) the gale raged with extreme violence, accompanied by torrents of rain
High Wind / Gust
The gale caused a good deal of damage to fences and gardens in the city and suburbs and was also felt severly on the northern side of the harbour
Fences in various parts of the city also suffered
High Wind / Gust
at
Ponsonby
The framing of a new house was blown down by the gale
High Wind / Gust
at
Northcote
The greater portion of the verandah of a house was carried by the force of the wind
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Coromandel
A heavy north-east gale has been blowing with heavy rain for the past 24 hours (3rd August)
High Wind / Gust
The front of Elmore's blacksmith shop was blown out and several fences were blown down
Flooding
The creeks are all in flood
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
Heavy rain set in last night (Thursday 3rd August) and had continued all day
Flooding
There is a great amount of surface water about Gisborne flats
The rivers of all coastal districts are in flood
The loss of stock will be considerable, especially of young lambs
Landslide
An extensive slip occurred on the Morere Road,a few miles beyond Muriwai
A slip beyond Kaitaratahi has interrupted railway traffic to Karaka for a few days
Heavy Rain
at
Tokomaru Bay
There was a great downpour at Tokomaru, where 4.70 inches fell in 24 hours
Hawke's Bay
Heavy Rain
The heavy rain of the past 2 days (2-3 August) has been severly felt in the country districts
Flooding
at
Meanee
The Meanee district is again underwater to a considerable extent
Reports from other country districts show that in many places the rivers are running bank high and rising rapidly
Flooding
at
Clive
At Clive, the mouth of the Ngaruroro is reported to be blocking up
Landslide
at
Napier
In Napier, a heavy slip is reported in the Milton Road, a large quantity of earth coming down from Colenso Hill and completely engulfing some outhouses and part of a house
Maritime / Coastal
There is a heavy sea running in the bay
Flooding
at
Wairoa
The river is in high flood and is overflowing the wharves
Landslide
There have been heavy slips on the main roads
Flooding
A large number of stock were washed out to sea
Flooding
at
Hastings
A large number of early lambs died, with one man losing 250
References
- Headline: The Easterly Gale, Scow Flora Swamps, page 4, column 5
- The New Zealand Herald, 3 August (Thursday) 1905.
- Headline: Damage at Coromandel, page 4, column 5
- The New Zealand Herald, 3 August (Thursday) 1905.
- Headline: Floods at Whangarei, Coal Mines Flooded, Extensive Damage, page 4, column 5
- The New Zealand Herald, 3 August (Thursday) 1905.
- Headline: Landslips at Whangarei, Coal Mines Flooded, page 4, column 1
- The New Zealand Herald, 4 August (Friday) 1905.
- Headline: Heavy Rainfall at Gisborne, Considerable Loss of Stock, page 4, column 1
- The New Zealand Herald, 4 August (Friday) 1905.
- Headline: Flood Feared in Hawke's Bay, Heavy Landslips, page 4, column 1
- The New Zealand Herald, 4 August (Friday) 1905.
- Headline: Floods at Napier, Considerable Damage Caused, page 2, column 7
- Thames Star, 4 August (Friday) 1905.
- Headline: The Recent Gale, page 4, column 2
- The New Zealand Herald, 5 August (Saturday) 1905.
- Headline: Heavy Landslips at Gisborne, page 5, column 2
- The New Zealand Herald, 7 August (Monday) 1905.
- Headline: Kaitaia and Mangawera Rivers Overflow, page 5, column 2
- The New Zealand Herald, 7 August (Monday) 1905.
- Headline: Bad Weather, page 5
- Taranaki Herald, 7 August (Monday) 1905. Sourced from www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
August 1905 North Island Storm
(
1905-08-01
)
Heavy rain and heavy winds causing flooding in the North Island
Northland
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
There is no recollection of a heavier downpour of rain descending in this district in so short a space of time a during last night (2nd August)
Multi Hazard
The torrential downpour of last night has caused an exceptional rise in the creeks and rivers
Flooding
The heaviest floods known for the past three years have occurred from the Waiotu, Hukerenui and Whakapara Rivers
The cellars of the Whangarei and the Commercial Hotels and several other buildings were flooded
The approaches of a bridge on the Otaika Road were washed away
Telegraphic communication between Whangarei and Auckland is entirely suspended
Landslide
at
Hikurangi
Several large slips have covered the 60 chains of tramline at the Northern Colliery Company's mine, andt at the tip the line has sunk over 2 ft
Flooding
The Hikurangi Coal Company is partially flooded to a depth of several feet
At the Phoenix mine matters are even worse, the flooding being of a greater extent, it is not expected that work will be resumed for a week
Multi Hazard
at
Russell
A strong north-easter blew all day on August 1, and it increased at night to a heavy gale, with torrents of rain and lightning
High Wind / Gust
The old British Residency, Victoria has suffered very severely, trees have been torn up by the roots, all the chimneys of the house blown down, smashing doors and windows in falling and the verandah has been blown clean away
Multi Hazard
at
Kaitaia
On August 2, the biggest flood since 1897 was experienced after 24 hours of heavy rain
Flooding
The Kaitaia and Magaweta rivers overflowed their banks and inundated several miles of country
The water was running over the road, in many places several feet deep
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland
The easterly gale set in on Tuesday (1st August) and continued until Wednesday (2nd August) morning
Multi Hazard
Between 2 and 4 a.m Wednesday (2nd August) the gale raged with extreme violence, accompanied by torrents of rain
High Wind / Gust
The gale caused a good deal of damage to fences and gardens in the city and suburbs and was also felt severly on the northern side of the harbour
Fences in various parts of the city also suffered
High Wind / Gust
at
Ponsonby
The framing of a new house was blown down by the gale
High Wind / Gust
at
Northcote
The greater portion of the verandah of a house was carried by the force of the wind
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Coromandel
A heavy north-east gale has been blowing with heavy rain for the past 24 hours (3rd August)
High Wind / Gust
The front of Elmore's blacksmith shop was blown out and several fences were blown down
Flooding
The creeks are all in flood
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
Heavy rain set in last night (Thursday 3rd August) and had continued all day
Flooding
There is a great amount of surface water about Gisborne flats
The rivers of all coastal districts are in flood
The loss of stock will be considerable, especially of young lambs
Landslide
An extensive slip occurred on the Morere Road,a few miles beyond Muriwai
A slip beyond Kaitaratahi has interrupted railway traffic to Karaka for a few days
Heavy Rain
at
Tokomaru Bay
There was a great downpour at Tokomaru, where 4.70 inches fell in 24 hours
Hawke's Bay
Heavy Rain
The heavy rain of the past 2 days (2-3 August) has been severly felt in the country districts
Flooding
at
Meanee
The Meanee district is again underwater to a considerable extent
Reports from other country districts show that in many places the rivers are running bank high and rising rapidly
Flooding
at
Clive
At Clive, the mouth of the Ngaruroro is reported to be blocking up
Landslide
at
Napier
In Napier, a heavy slip is reported in the Milton Road, a large quantity of earth coming down from Colenso Hill and completely engulfing some outhouses and part of a house
Maritime / Coastal
There is a heavy sea running in the bay
Flooding
at
Wairoa
The river is in high flood and is overflowing the wharves
Landslide
There have been heavy slips on the main roads
Flooding
A large number of stock were washed out to sea
Flooding
at
Hastings
A large number of early lambs died, with one man losing 250
References
- Headline: The Easterly Gale, Scow Flora Swamps, page 4, column 5
- The New Zealand Herald, 3 August (Thursday) 1905.
- Headline: Damage at Coromandel, page 4, column 5
- The New Zealand Herald, 3 August (Thursday) 1905.
- Headline: Floods at Whangarei, Coal Mines Flooded, Extensive Damage, page 4, column 5
- The New Zealand Herald, 3 August (Thursday) 1905.
- Headline: Landslips at Whangarei, Coal Mines Flooded, page 4, column 1
- The New Zealand Herald, 4 August (Friday) 1905.
- Headline: Heavy Rainfall at Gisborne, Considerable Loss of Stock, page 4, column 1
- The New Zealand Herald, 4 August (Friday) 1905.
- Headline: Flood Feared in Hawke's Bay, Heavy Landslips, page 4, column 1
- The New Zealand Herald, 4 August (Friday) 1905.
- Headline: Floods at Napier, Considerable Damage Caused, page 2, column 7
- Thames Star, 4 August (Friday) 1905.
- Headline: The Recent Gale, page 4, column 2
- The New Zealand Herald, 5 August (Saturday) 1905.
- Headline: Heavy Landslips at Gisborne, page 5, column 2
- The New Zealand Herald, 7 August (Monday) 1905.
- Headline: Kaitaia and Mangawera Rivers Overflow, page 5, column 2
- The New Zealand Herald, 7 August (Monday) 1905.
- Headline: Bad Weather, page 5
- Taranaki Herald, 7 August (Monday) 1905. Sourced from www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz