NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
August 1975 South Island High Winds ( 1975-08-01 )
High winds caused extensive damage to forestry plantations throughout the east of the South Island.
New Zealand
High Wind / Gust
at
New Zealand
In the day or two preceeding 31 July 1975 a complex family of depressions covered the area south of the Great Australian Bight while a relatively intense anticyclone lay over the northern parts of the Tasman Sea and New Zealand. By 1200 NZST 31 July a depression with central pressure below 965 mb had moved into the area south of New Zealand and a strong northwesterly airstream covered much of the southern Tasman Sea and southern New Zealand on the lower latitude side of an active cold front. At midnight 31 July/1 August the cold front lay close to the southern coast of the South Island preceded by very strong northwesterly flow over the South Island and by 0600 hr 1 August lay across the southern areas of the South Island, continuing to move northeast to reach Christchurch about midday.
Marlborough
High Wind / Gust
at
Vernon Lagoons
Vernon Lagoons Station recorded the highest gust at 69 knots (128 km/hr) at a direction (degrees true) of 300.
Canterbury
Multi Hazard
at
Canterbury
The storm was caused by an extremely intense trough which moved over the country from the west. The northwesterly winds preceding the trough caused a lot of damage from Southland to Gisborne.
Northwest gales preceeded by heavy rains caused major planation losses on the plains.
High Wind / Gust
Canterbury damage was extremely severe, devastating a large part of Eyrewell Forest.
The insurance industry payout was $7,000,000 ($58,500,000 2010 dollars).
There was $13,000,000 damage to exotic forests.
There was 12,600 insurance claims for structural damage.
10 years wood supply blew down in Canterbury including all remaining old crops of Pinus radiata and P. nigra.
There was large-scale wind damage to both State and privately owned forests. Approximately 6000 ha of forests were windblown with smaller but significant areas in other state forests.
Hurricane force winds occurred throughout Canterbury averaging at least 64 knots (118.5 km/hr).
Power pylons blown down.
The north west gales reached a maximum recorded wind speed of 170 km/hr.
Throughout all of Canterbury it was estimated that a total of 2.2 million cubic metres of timber, as sawlog volume, was windthrown.
There was major damage to the four main production forests and many other plantations as well, spread over a distance of at least 300 km.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ashley Forest
At Ashley Forest the area windthrown was 700 ha. The damage of area stocked was 12.6 percent.
High Wind / Gust
at
Balmoral
At Balmoral Forest the area windthrown was 3323 ha. The damage of area stocked was 43.0 percent.
High Wind / Gust
at
Bromley
Bromley recorded a highest gust of 70 knots (130 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 310).
High Wind / Gust
at
Christchurch Aerodrome
Christchurch Aerodrome recorded a highest gust of 93 knots (172 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 290).
High Wind / Gust
at
Eyrewell Forest
Eyrewell Forest recorded a highest gust of 92 knots (170 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 310).
At Eyrewell Forest the area windthrown was 1767 ha. The damage of area stocked was 34.5 percent.
Tornado
at
Governors Bay
A tornado occurred at Governors Bay.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hanmer Forest
At Hanmer Forest the area windthrown was 273 ha. The damage of area stocked was 7.3 percent.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kaikoura
Kaikoura recorded a highest gust of 105 knots (194 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 300).
Tornado
at
Lyttelton
A tornado at Lyttelton caused local damage.
High Wind / Gust
at
Timaru Aerodrome
Timaru Aerodrome recorded a highest gust of 89 knots (165 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 300).
High Wind / Gust
at
Wigram Aerodrome
Wigram Aerodrome recorded a highest gust of 86 knots (159 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 300).
High Wind / Gust
at
Winchmore
Winchmore recorded a highest gust of 83 knots (154 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 310).
Otago
High Wind / Gust
at
Otago
There were hurricane force winds averaging at least 64 knots (119 mk/hr)
The winds caused widespread damage and devastation to large areas of forest plantations.
Houses were deroofed and buildings demolished.
Power pylons were blown down.
Southland
High Wind / Gust
at
Southland
North-west winds gusting to over 70 knots (130 km/h) lashed Southland.
Winds caused widespread damage and devastation to large areas of forest plantations.
Houses were deroofed and buildings demolished.
Power pylons were blown down.
References
- Hessell, J.W.D, Holloway, R.H.F, Knowles, D.G., Roberts, J.L. Scientific, Economic and Social Reviews of Natural Hazards in New Zealand, New Zealand National Commission For UNESCO, Wellington, 1984
- Hill, H.W. (1979). Severe damage to forests in Canterbury, New Zealand, resulting from orographically reinforced winds. New Zealand Meteorological Service Technical Information Circular No. 169.
- Insurance Councils, The Cost of Weather Loses, Claims History (Updated 2004)
- Meteorological Observations for 1975, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, Including the Cook Group, Tokelau Islands, Niue Island and Western Samoa. New Zealand Meteorological Service.
- Ministy of Civil Defence. Storms, Tephra June 1997, Volume 16.
- New Zealand Meteorlogical Service, Technical Information Circular No. 191, Extreme Wind Gusts,
- Owens, Dr.I.F., Kirk, Dr.R.M., Bell, Dr.D.H., Cowan, Dr.H., Pettinga, Dr.J., and Todd, D. (1994). Natural Hazards in Canterbury. Canterbury Regional Council, Report 94(19) June 1994.
- Surface Water Hydrology of the Mataura River Catchment.
- The Southland Times, Invercargill, Thursday, January 1, 1970 - Monday, December 31, 1979, Special souvenir edition, A century of news, p. 11.
- Turner, R.M. Canterbury Plains and Lake Taupo Forests, Workshop on Wind Damage in New Zealand Exotic Forests, FRI Bulletin 146
- Workshop on Wind damage in New Zealand Exotic Forests, Ministry of Forestery, FRI Bullrtin 146, Accounting for New Zealand Plantation's Risk to Wind Damage - facing the facts, David New
- Workshop on Wind damage in New Zealand Exotic Forests, Ministry of Forestery, FRI Bullrtin 146, Windthrow on the Canterbury Plains, W.P. Studholme
- Workshop on Wind damage in New Zealand Exotic Forests, Ministry of Forestery, FRI Bullrtin 146, Wnotres on Wind and Forestry Management in the South Island, Washbourn, R.W.
August 1975 South Island High Winds ( 1975-08-01 )
High winds caused extensive damage to forestry plantations throughout the east of the South Island.
New Zealand
High Wind / Gust
at
New Zealand
In the day or two preceeding 31 July 1975 a complex family of depressions covered the area south of the Great Australian Bight while a relatively intense anticyclone lay over the northern parts of the Tasman Sea and New Zealand. By 1200 NZST 31 July a depression with central pressure below 965 mb had moved into the area south of New Zealand and a strong northwesterly airstream covered much of the southern Tasman Sea and southern New Zealand on the lower latitude side of an active cold front. At midnight 31 July/1 August the cold front lay close to the southern coast of the South Island preceded by very strong northwesterly flow over the South Island and by 0600 hr 1 August lay across the southern areas of the South Island, continuing to move northeast to reach Christchurch about midday.
Marlborough
High Wind / Gust
at
Vernon Lagoons
Vernon Lagoons Station recorded the highest gust at 69 knots (128 km/hr) at a direction (degrees true) of 300.
Canterbury
Multi Hazard
at
Canterbury
The storm was caused by an extremely intense trough which moved over the country from the west. The northwesterly winds preceding the trough caused a lot of damage from Southland to Gisborne.
Northwest gales preceeded by heavy rains caused major planation losses on the plains.
High Wind / Gust
Canterbury damage was extremely severe, devastating a large part of Eyrewell Forest.
The insurance industry payout was $7,000,000 ($58,500,000 2010 dollars).
There was $13,000,000 damage to exotic forests.
There was 12,600 insurance claims for structural damage.
10 years wood supply blew down in Canterbury including all remaining old crops of Pinus radiata and P. nigra.
There was large-scale wind damage to both State and privately owned forests. Approximately 6000 ha of forests were windblown with smaller but significant areas in other state forests.
Hurricane force winds occurred throughout Canterbury averaging at least 64 knots (118.5 km/hr).
Power pylons blown down.
The north west gales reached a maximum recorded wind speed of 170 km/hr.
Throughout all of Canterbury it was estimated that a total of 2.2 million cubic metres of timber, as sawlog volume, was windthrown.
There was major damage to the four main production forests and many other plantations as well, spread over a distance of at least 300 km.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ashley Forest
At Ashley Forest the area windthrown was 700 ha. The damage of area stocked was 12.6 percent.
High Wind / Gust
at
Balmoral
At Balmoral Forest the area windthrown was 3323 ha. The damage of area stocked was 43.0 percent.
High Wind / Gust
at
Bromley
Bromley recorded a highest gust of 70 knots (130 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 310).
High Wind / Gust
at
Christchurch Aerodrome
Christchurch Aerodrome recorded a highest gust of 93 knots (172 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 290).
High Wind / Gust
at
Eyrewell Forest
Eyrewell Forest recorded a highest gust of 92 knots (170 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 310).
At Eyrewell Forest the area windthrown was 1767 ha. The damage of area stocked was 34.5 percent.
Tornado
at
Governors Bay
A tornado occurred at Governors Bay.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hanmer Forest
At Hanmer Forest the area windthrown was 273 ha. The damage of area stocked was 7.3 percent.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kaikoura
Kaikoura recorded a highest gust of 105 knots (194 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 300).
Tornado
at
Lyttelton
A tornado at Lyttelton caused local damage.
High Wind / Gust
at
Timaru Aerodrome
Timaru Aerodrome recorded a highest gust of 89 knots (165 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 300).
High Wind / Gust
at
Wigram Aerodrome
Wigram Aerodrome recorded a highest gust of 86 knots (159 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 300).
High Wind / Gust
at
Winchmore
Winchmore recorded a highest gust of 83 knots (154 km/hr) (with a direction (degrees true) of 310).
Otago
High Wind / Gust
at
Otago
There were hurricane force winds averaging at least 64 knots (119 mk/hr)
The winds caused widespread damage and devastation to large areas of forest plantations.
Houses were deroofed and buildings demolished.
Power pylons were blown down.
Southland
High Wind / Gust
at
Southland
North-west winds gusting to over 70 knots (130 km/h) lashed Southland.
Winds caused widespread damage and devastation to large areas of forest plantations.
Houses were deroofed and buildings demolished.
Power pylons were blown down.
References
- Hessell, J.W.D, Holloway, R.H.F, Knowles, D.G., Roberts, J.L. Scientific, Economic and Social Reviews of Natural Hazards in New Zealand, New Zealand National Commission For UNESCO, Wellington, 1984
- Hill, H.W. (1979). Severe damage to forests in Canterbury, New Zealand, resulting from orographically reinforced winds. New Zealand Meteorological Service Technical Information Circular No. 169.
- Insurance Councils, The Cost of Weather Loses, Claims History (Updated 2004)
- Meteorological Observations for 1975, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, Including the Cook Group, Tokelau Islands, Niue Island and Western Samoa. New Zealand Meteorological Service.
- Ministy of Civil Defence. Storms, Tephra June 1997, Volume 16.
- New Zealand Meteorlogical Service, Technical Information Circular No. 191, Extreme Wind Gusts,
- Owens, Dr.I.F., Kirk, Dr.R.M., Bell, Dr.D.H., Cowan, Dr.H., Pettinga, Dr.J., and Todd, D. (1994). Natural Hazards in Canterbury. Canterbury Regional Council, Report 94(19) June 1994.
- Surface Water Hydrology of the Mataura River Catchment.
- The Southland Times, Invercargill, Thursday, January 1, 1970 - Monday, December 31, 1979, Special souvenir edition, A century of news, p. 11.
- Turner, R.M. Canterbury Plains and Lake Taupo Forests, Workshop on Wind Damage in New Zealand Exotic Forests, FRI Bulletin 146
- Workshop on Wind damage in New Zealand Exotic Forests, Ministry of Forestery, FRI Bullrtin 146, Accounting for New Zealand Plantation's Risk to Wind Damage - facing the facts, David New
- Workshop on Wind damage in New Zealand Exotic Forests, Ministry of Forestery, FRI Bullrtin 146, Windthrow on the Canterbury Plains, W.P. Studholme
- Workshop on Wind damage in New Zealand Exotic Forests, Ministry of Forestery, FRI Bullrtin 146, Wnotres on Wind and Forestry Management in the South Island, Washbourn, R.W.