NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
August 2004 New Zealand Storm ( 2004-08-14 )
A storm affected much of New Zealand with combinations of high winds, heavy rain, flooding, heavy seas and snow. Cold southerlies affected much of the South Island. A tornado caused havoc in Taranaki, killing two people and injuring two others. Two men were drowned off Northland when their boat sank in rough weather, and a woman was drowned in a Wairarapa stream. A West Coast man was struck by lightning and four people were injured by an avalanche in Otago.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 5 days - From the 14th to the 18th of August.
An active trough of low pressure moved onto New Zealand from the Tasman Sea on the 14th. A depression developed and intensified east of the North Island (985 hPa) on the 15th, bringing a southerly storm. An active front associated with the trough brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and a tornado in Taranaki. On the 18th, the low was in a similar position on the weather map as the one that caused the 1968 Wahine storm - between New Zealand and the Chatham Islands area.
High Wind / Gust
Severe southerly gales in Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay and Kaikoura had eased by mid-morning on the 18th.
North Island
Snow / Ice
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North Island
In the eastern ranges and central high country of the North Island, heavy snow closed many roads on the 17th and 18th. The Napier-Taupo road on State Highway 5 was closed due to heavy snow on the 17th. The Napier-Taihape road was closed on the 17th and remained closed from the Kaweka Camp on the 18th. The Desert Road (State Highway 1) was closed between Rangipo and Waiouru on the 17th becaue of ice.
Several accidents occurred in icy conditions on the Napier-Taupo Highway on the afternoon of the 15th. A number of trucks were stranded on the Napier-Taupo highway by snow.
A woman was airlifted to Napier Hospital in a serious condition after an accident on the Napier-Taupo on the afternoon of the 15th.
Snow continued to fall on central North Island ranges on the 18th.
Multi Hazard
There were high losses of lambs in the North Island.
Widespread road closures hit much of the lower North Island on the 17th.
South Island
Snow / Ice
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South Island
Snow fell in the eastern South Island on the 15th.
A low moved on to the South Island over the weekend, bringing chilly southerlies to Canterbury and the Kaikoura coast and snowy conditions in Southland and Otago.
Many roads in the South Island were shut by snow and ice on the 15th and 16th. State Highway 1 between Balcutha and Gore was closed and State Highway 93 between Clinton and Mataura was closed.
Severe and extreme avalanche warnings were in place at ski fields in the Southern Alps on the 15th and 16th.
Northland
Maritime / Coastal
at
Pandora
Two men aged 24 and 25 were drowned when high seas sank the 15-metre fishing boat 'Iron Maiden' near Pandora Bank, southwest of Cape Reinga, on the night of the 16th. The boat started taking on water at around 7pm about 6 nautical miles off Pandora's bank, and the men abandoned the boat soon after. The weather was extremely rough at the time.
There were 5 m swells at the time.
High Wind / Gust
The winds were gusting at 40 knots (74 km/hr).
Hawke's Bay
High Wind / Gust
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Hawke's Bay
High winds battered Hawke's Bay overnight on the 17th/18th, toppling trees, ripping roofing iron from houses and closing roads.
Winds gusted up to 120 km/hr in Hawke's Bay overnight on the 17th/18th.
Multi Hazard
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Patoka
A Patoka farmer lost about 100 lambs from a stud flock.
High Wind / Gust
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Sherenden
Power was cut to more than 300 homes around Sherenden on the 17th after branches fell onto lines. Power was restored by 3.30am on the 18th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Takapau
Power was cut at Takapau on the 17th after a line was felled. Some residents were still without power on the morning of the 18th.
Taranaki
Multi Hazard
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Motunui
Motonui experienced a thunderstorm on the 15th, with heavy rain, small hail, windy conditions and a tornado.
Tornado
The tornado came in from the sea at around 6am and tore a path of destruction across farmland.
At a Motunui property close to the Motunui Synfuel plant, the tornado tore a house from its foundations and dropped it, dumping the four sleeping occupants and debris several hundred metres away. The farmhouse was smashed into arm-length pieces, a nearby outbuilding was destroyed and the family's possessions were scattered over a 400m by 50m area of paddocks.
Two people inside the house were killed. A woman aged 50 or 55 died at the scene and a 10-year-old boy had his life support unit turned off around 2:30pm the next day (the 16th) due to his critical injuries.
The two other people inside the house were seriously injured - a 28-year-old woman and a 3-year-old boy.
The tornado tore the roof of another house, damaged sheds and wrecked a commerical glasshouse. The tornado also smashed a hole through a shelter belt, uprooted many trees and snapped power poles.
The tornado snapped four concrete power poles, damaged another six, and damaged power lines. Power was cut to 1200 homes in a large area from Motunui to Mt Messenger.
The damage trail from the Epiha Road devastation was 20 m wide and 10 km long. The damage at Epiha Road was assessed as F3 on the Fujita scale.
70 calves were killed after a cow shed was destroyed, with injured animals having to be put down.
Maximum like wind strengths exceeded 150 knots (278 km/hr).
The tornado came in from the sea at 80 km/hr, with a wind speed of more than 150 km/hr.
The deputy chief of Waitara Volunteer Fire Brigade had never seen anything like the this devastation in 17 years as a fireman.
Heavy Rain
It was raining heavily at dawn on the 15th.
High Wind / Gust
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth Airport recorded northerly winds of 27 knots (50 km/hr).
Manawatu-Wanganui
Snow / Ice
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
State Highway 4 was closed between Taumarunui and Raetihi on the 17th due to ice.
Landslide
at
Manawatu Gorge
The Manawatu Gorge on State Highway 3 was closed after slips came down on the 17th.
Flooding
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Moutoa
The Moutoa floodgates near Shannon were opened on the 19th to relieve floodwaters on the Manawatu River.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
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Wellington
Wellington experienced gales and driving rain on the 15th.
Roads around Wellington were closed due to huge seas, flooding, slips, wind-blown debris and fallen trees and power lines. Buses were cancelled, and thousands of commuters had their travels disrupted.
Rail services were cancelled due to slips and fallen trees. All train lines into Wellington were closed on the 18th, affecting about 12,000 commuters. Slips and downed trees and power lines closed the Paraparaumu and Johnsonville Transmetro lines into the city.
Schools were closed and shops and offices were short-staffed when trains were cancelled or had to turn back.
Extensive property damage resulted from properties being flooded, roofs lifted and trees and fences blown over.
Some walking tracks were closed.
The weather pattern was similar to that which hit in February, but the cold front from Antarctica initially brought snow, rather than rain.
High Wind / Gust
Wellington was battered by high winds overnight on the 17th. The severe southerly gales had eased by the night of the 18th.
Trees and street signs were felled by the winds and a few power lines came down. The Fire Service was called out to hundreds of incidents, with house and shop roofs blown off, fences down, properties flooded and other widespread damage.
Winds of 60-70 km/hr battered Wellington and Wairarapa on the morning of the 17th, with gusts up to 100 km/hr.
At the height of the storm, the Wairarapa experienced average wind speeds of 100 km/hr.
Hundreds of people were left without power throughout Wellington, mostly because of clashing lines and trees falling across wires.
Fencing battens and corrugated iron were flying down some streets on the 18th.
Heavy Rain
Rainfall totalled 50-100 mm (5.0-10.0 cm) in many areas.
Wairarapa received 60 mm (6.0 cm) of rain.
The Wainui catchment (Hutt Valley) received 110 mm (11.0 cm) of rain.
Rain and sleet were driven sideways.
Flooding
Properties were flooded.
In eastern Wairarapa there were flood warnings in place on the Tinui, Taueru, Whangaehu and Huangaroa rivers.
There was surface flooding in much of the region. Several roads in the Wairarapa were closed due to flooding, in Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa.
Maritime / Coastal
Cars struggled in coastal areas as waves dumped seaweed and debris on roads.
The peak swell waves were 4.5 m.
Waves of up to 14.4 m smashed the coastline.
High Wind / Gust
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Baring Head
Baring Head recorded a peak gust of 183 km/hr.
Flooding
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Carterton
Roads were closed due to flooding in Carterton.
Heavy Rain
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Castlepoint
Castlepoint recorded 90.2 mm (9.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
High Wind / Gust
The winds at Castlepoint averaged 100 km/hr on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
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Cook Strait
Cook Strait recorded a peak gust of 161 km/hr.
Cook Strait recorded an average wind speed of 130 km/hr.
Maritime / Coastal
Swells in Cook Strait were as high as 7m on the 17th.
On the 16th, the 12:30pm Lynx ferry was forced to turn back to Picton after conditions in Cook Strait became too rough when it emerged from Marlborough Sounds. On the 17th, fierce weather and big swells in Cook Strait forced the cancellation of the interisland ferries and the Lynx ferry sailing was cancelled at 12:30pm. Hundreds of people were affected when all Interisland ferry sailings were suspended.
Multi Hazard
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Eastbourne
Homes were evacuated in Lower Hutt, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne due to slips and floods.
Flooding
at
Hungaroa Stream
Hungaroa Stream flooded over a bridge that crosses it.
Heavy Rain
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Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt recorded 80 mm (8.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Surface flooding occurred in Lower Hutt on the 17th.
Waiwhetu Stream burst its banks, flooding properties, some of which had only recently been reinhabited after evacutions during the February floods.
Multi Hazard
Homes were evacuated in Lower Hutt, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne due to slips and floods.
High winds caused a large tree to fall near the Dowse Drive intersection on Western Hutt Road, blocking one northbound lane of State Highway 2 just after 5pm on the 17th.
Maritime / Coastal
Huge waves swamped the Hutt Valley railway line.
High Wind / Gust
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Lyall Bay
Police closed off roads at Lyall Bay on the 18th due to the danger of flying debris.
Heavy Rain
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Masterton
Masterton recorded 66 mm (6.6 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Surface flooding occurred in Masterton on the 17th. Some roads were closed.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mt Kaukau
Mt Kaukau recorded a peak gust of 183 km/hr.
Mt Kaukau recorded an average wind speed of 133 km/hr.
Heavy Rain
at
Ngawi
Ngawai recorded 52.2 mm (5.2 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
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Orongorongo River
The Orongaronga Ranges recorded 140 mm (14.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Orongorongo Hill received 130 mm (13.0 cm) of rain.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Petone
Seawaves swept across railway lines in Petone.
High Wind / Gust
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Porirua
The Porirua motorway was closed to southbound traffic for 20 minutes after 7pm on the 17th when a large tree fell and blocked both lanes.
Snow / Ice
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Rimutaka Hill
Snow fell at the summit of the Rimutaka Hill Road on the 15th and generally on the Rimutakas on the 16th.
The snow was 10 cm deep.
The Rimutaka Hill Road on State Highway 2 was open only briefly on the morning of the 17th and closed again that night with heavy snow falling in the area.
Flooding
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Wainuiomapu Stream
A 46-year-old female postie died while driving to work in the storm around 5:30am on the 18th. Her vehicle was found in the swollen Wainuiomapu Stream beside Maringi Road that night and on the morning of the 19th her body was found just downstream from the submerged car.
Heavy Rain
at
Wainuiomata
Wainuiomata recorded 96 mm (9.6 cm) of rai in 24 hours.
Multi Hazard
Homes were evacuated in Lower Hutt, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne due to slips and floods.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington City
Panels were blown off two buildings at Queens Wharf on the waterfront, and windows were blown in at the former Herd Street Post Office Building.
Broken glass littered roads and footpaths around Basin Reserve, where more than 12 windows on the R.A. Vance stand were blown out. More glass and other debris was flying around on the waterfront.
New Zealand Post cancelled postal deliveries in the city.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International Airport
Part of the roof of the Koru Lounge at Wellington Airport was blown off, and the interior was subsequently partially flooded.
Wellington Airport was closed. All 190 Air New Zealand flights on the 18th were suspended, affecting 9000 domestic and international passengers.
Wellington Airport recorded a peak gust of 119 km/hr.
Wellington Airport recorded wind speeds averaging 87 km/hr.
Marlborough
High Wind / Gust
at
Marlborough
Gale force winds hammered Marlborough on the morning of the 18th.
The travel plans of hundreds of people were disrupted.
Properties in the outer Marlborough Sounds were damaged by high winds.
Multi Hazard
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Arapawa Island
A resident of Arapawa Island, at the entrance to the Tory Channel, described the weather as "shocking".
High Wind / Gust
There were winds of 80 knots (148 km/hr).
A garden was torn up and a neighbouring shed was blown down.
Maritime / Coastal
There was a huge sea running, with 6-metre rolls.
Maritime / Coastal
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Tory Channel
The entrance to Tory Channel was closed on the 17th due to fierce weather and big swells. This was only the third time it had been closed in 10 years.
High Wind / Gust
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Ward
Up to 150 homes on the east coast south of Ward were without power overnight from 9pm on the 17th. The affected areas included the Ure (Waima) River area, and Kekerengu and Clarence in Canterbury.
High Wind / Gust
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Woodbourne
Flights were affected at Marlborough Airport.
West Coast
Lightning
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West Coast
A West Coast farmer was struck by lightning on the 15th while riding his farmbike. He was taken to Grey Hospital during a spectacular thunderstorm, but did not suffer any burns.
Canterbury
Snow / Ice
at
Canterbury
There were snow showers from Banks Peninsula to the Kaikoura Coast on the 15th and 16th.
A few inches of snow fell in Canterbury on the 15th.
Snow / Ice
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Christchurch
Flights into Christchurch Airport were cancelled on the 15th because of sleet and snow. Hundreds of passengers were stranded.
Christchurch received up to 15 cm of snow overnight on the 15th/16th.
Summit Road was closed on the 15th and 16th.
Several trees fell under the weight of the snow.
Several schools and businesses in Christchurch were closed on 16th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Clarence
Homes in Clarence were without power overnight from 9pm on the 17th.
Snow / Ice
at
Kaikoura
Snow fell to 300m along the Kaikoura coast.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kekerengu
Homes in Kekerengu were without power overnight from 9pm on the 17th.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Cook
Some of Air New Zealand's Mt Cook flights were cancelled on the 15th.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Otago
North Otago received 10 cm of snow.
All primary / intermediate and most secondary schools were closed between Waitati and Mosgiel.
Snow / Ice
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Dunedin
Dunedin was virtually cut off from the outside world on the 15th. The main arterial routes in and out of Dunedin were closed on the 15th and 16th: Three Mile Hill Road, State Highway 1 to the south between Dunedin and Milton and State Highway 1 to the north between Waikouaiti and Dunedin.
Most Dunedin businesses had to close on the 16th because of the bad weather and closed roads.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunedin Airport
Dunedin Airport was closed on the 15th and 16th. A least five flights were affected and up to 360 people were stranded.
There was 1-2 cm of snow on the airport runway.
Snow / Ice
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Humboldt Mountains
Four people were injured when an avalanche hit a heliskiing party in the Humboldt Mountains, near Glenorchy. One woman was flown to hospital with a moderate spinal injury, and three others received minor injuries.
Southland
Snow / Ice
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Southland
There were light snowfalls in Southland on the 15th. About 8 cm of snow fell in some areas.
State Highway 96 between Winton and Ohai was closed on the 16th. State Highway 94 between Te Anau and Milford Sound was also closed.
References
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Floods and High Rainfall to 31st May 2006.
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Snowstorms to 14 June 2006.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.) Newsletter 98, September 2004.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.) Newsletter 99, December 2004.
- www.metservice.co.nz / Learning Center / Notable Recent Weather / Winter 2004 / 14 - 19 August.
- www.metservice, notable weather events.govt.nz.
- Headline: Tornado victim's name released.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB, 15 August 2004.
- Headline: Big chill maintains grip on country.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 August 2004, 6:30pm.
- Headline: Icy blast heads north.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 16 August 2004.
- Headline: Rescuers cleared over tuna boat deaths.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 June 2005.
- Headline: Storm blasts Dunedin, extends north.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 August 2004, 10:45am.
- Headline: Tornado claims second life with death of 10-year-old.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, source: NZPA, 16 August 2004.
- Headline: Twister shatters lives of Taranaki farming family.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 16 August 2004.
- Headline: Ferries cancelled, roads closed as weather worsens.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 August 2004.
- Headline: Snow closes North Island roads, disrupts ferry services.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 August 2004, 10:10am.
- Headline: Gale compared with Wahine storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 18 August 2004, 10:45pm.
- Headline: Postie missing as violent storm batters lower North Island.
- New Zealand Herald, Source: NZPA, 18 August 2004.
- Headline: Postie's vehicle found in stream.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 August 2004.
- Headline: Man dead, another lost in fierce seas.
- The Northern Advocate, 17 August 2004.
- Headline: Searchers give up hope: Wind conditions hinder.
- The Northern Advocate, 18 August 2004.
- Headline: Tornado victim named.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News and RNZ, 15 August 2004, 11:06am.
- Headline: Body of missing postie found.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: RNZ, 18 August 2004, 3:21pm.
August 2004 New Zealand Storm ( 2004-08-14 )
A storm affected much of New Zealand with combinations of high winds, heavy rain, flooding, heavy seas and snow. Cold southerlies affected much of the South Island. A tornado caused havoc in Taranaki, killing two people and injuring two others. Two men were drowned off Northland when their boat sank in rough weather, and a woman was drowned in a Wairarapa stream. A West Coast man was struck by lightning and four people were injured by an avalanche in Otago.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 5 days - From the 14th to the 18th of August.
An active trough of low pressure moved onto New Zealand from the Tasman Sea on the 14th. A depression developed and intensified east of the North Island (985 hPa) on the 15th, bringing a southerly storm. An active front associated with the trough brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and a tornado in Taranaki. On the 18th, the low was in a similar position on the weather map as the one that caused the 1968 Wahine storm - between New Zealand and the Chatham Islands area.
High Wind / Gust
Severe southerly gales in Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay and Kaikoura had eased by mid-morning on the 18th.
North Island
Snow / Ice
at
North Island
In the eastern ranges and central high country of the North Island, heavy snow closed many roads on the 17th and 18th. The Napier-Taupo road on State Highway 5 was closed due to heavy snow on the 17th. The Napier-Taihape road was closed on the 17th and remained closed from the Kaweka Camp on the 18th. The Desert Road (State Highway 1) was closed between Rangipo and Waiouru on the 17th becaue of ice.
Several accidents occurred in icy conditions on the Napier-Taupo Highway on the afternoon of the 15th. A number of trucks were stranded on the Napier-Taupo highway by snow.
A woman was airlifted to Napier Hospital in a serious condition after an accident on the Napier-Taupo on the afternoon of the 15th.
Snow continued to fall on central North Island ranges on the 18th.
Multi Hazard
There were high losses of lambs in the North Island.
Widespread road closures hit much of the lower North Island on the 17th.
South Island
Snow / Ice
at
South Island
Snow fell in the eastern South Island on the 15th.
A low moved on to the South Island over the weekend, bringing chilly southerlies to Canterbury and the Kaikoura coast and snowy conditions in Southland and Otago.
Many roads in the South Island were shut by snow and ice on the 15th and 16th. State Highway 1 between Balcutha and Gore was closed and State Highway 93 between Clinton and Mataura was closed.
Severe and extreme avalanche warnings were in place at ski fields in the Southern Alps on the 15th and 16th.
Northland
Maritime / Coastal
at
Pandora
Two men aged 24 and 25 were drowned when high seas sank the 15-metre fishing boat 'Iron Maiden' near Pandora Bank, southwest of Cape Reinga, on the night of the 16th. The boat started taking on water at around 7pm about 6 nautical miles off Pandora's bank, and the men abandoned the boat soon after. The weather was extremely rough at the time.
There were 5 m swells at the time.
High Wind / Gust
The winds were gusting at 40 knots (74 km/hr).
Hawke's Bay
High Wind / Gust
at
Hawke's Bay
High winds battered Hawke's Bay overnight on the 17th/18th, toppling trees, ripping roofing iron from houses and closing roads.
Winds gusted up to 120 km/hr in Hawke's Bay overnight on the 17th/18th.
Multi Hazard
at
Patoka
A Patoka farmer lost about 100 lambs from a stud flock.
High Wind / Gust
at
Sherenden
Power was cut to more than 300 homes around Sherenden on the 17th after branches fell onto lines. Power was restored by 3.30am on the 18th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Takapau
Power was cut at Takapau on the 17th after a line was felled. Some residents were still without power on the morning of the 18th.
Taranaki
Multi Hazard
at
Motunui
Motonui experienced a thunderstorm on the 15th, with heavy rain, small hail, windy conditions and a tornado.
Tornado
The tornado came in from the sea at around 6am and tore a path of destruction across farmland.
At a Motunui property close to the Motunui Synfuel plant, the tornado tore a house from its foundations and dropped it, dumping the four sleeping occupants and debris several hundred metres away. The farmhouse was smashed into arm-length pieces, a nearby outbuilding was destroyed and the family's possessions were scattered over a 400m by 50m area of paddocks.
Two people inside the house were killed. A woman aged 50 or 55 died at the scene and a 10-year-old boy had his life support unit turned off around 2:30pm the next day (the 16th) due to his critical injuries.
The two other people inside the house were seriously injured - a 28-year-old woman and a 3-year-old boy.
The tornado tore the roof of another house, damaged sheds and wrecked a commerical glasshouse. The tornado also smashed a hole through a shelter belt, uprooted many trees and snapped power poles.
The tornado snapped four concrete power poles, damaged another six, and damaged power lines. Power was cut to 1200 homes in a large area from Motunui to Mt Messenger.
The damage trail from the Epiha Road devastation was 20 m wide and 10 km long. The damage at Epiha Road was assessed as F3 on the Fujita scale.
70 calves were killed after a cow shed was destroyed, with injured animals having to be put down.
Maximum like wind strengths exceeded 150 knots (278 km/hr).
The tornado came in from the sea at 80 km/hr, with a wind speed of more than 150 km/hr.
The deputy chief of Waitara Volunteer Fire Brigade had never seen anything like the this devastation in 17 years as a fireman.
Heavy Rain
It was raining heavily at dawn on the 15th.
High Wind / Gust
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth Airport recorded northerly winds of 27 knots (50 km/hr).
Manawatu-Wanganui
Snow / Ice
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
State Highway 4 was closed between Taumarunui and Raetihi on the 17th due to ice.
Landslide
at
Manawatu Gorge
The Manawatu Gorge on State Highway 3 was closed after slips came down on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Moutoa
The Moutoa floodgates near Shannon were opened on the 19th to relieve floodwaters on the Manawatu River.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
Wellington experienced gales and driving rain on the 15th.
Roads around Wellington were closed due to huge seas, flooding, slips, wind-blown debris and fallen trees and power lines. Buses were cancelled, and thousands of commuters had their travels disrupted.
Rail services were cancelled due to slips and fallen trees. All train lines into Wellington were closed on the 18th, affecting about 12,000 commuters. Slips and downed trees and power lines closed the Paraparaumu and Johnsonville Transmetro lines into the city.
Schools were closed and shops and offices were short-staffed when trains were cancelled or had to turn back.
Extensive property damage resulted from properties being flooded, roofs lifted and trees and fences blown over.
Some walking tracks were closed.
The weather pattern was similar to that which hit in February, but the cold front from Antarctica initially brought snow, rather than rain.
High Wind / Gust
Wellington was battered by high winds overnight on the 17th. The severe southerly gales had eased by the night of the 18th.
Trees and street signs were felled by the winds and a few power lines came down. The Fire Service was called out to hundreds of incidents, with house and shop roofs blown off, fences down, properties flooded and other widespread damage.
Winds of 60-70 km/hr battered Wellington and Wairarapa on the morning of the 17th, with gusts up to 100 km/hr.
At the height of the storm, the Wairarapa experienced average wind speeds of 100 km/hr.
Hundreds of people were left without power throughout Wellington, mostly because of clashing lines and trees falling across wires.
Fencing battens and corrugated iron were flying down some streets on the 18th.
Heavy Rain
Rainfall totalled 50-100 mm (5.0-10.0 cm) in many areas.
Wairarapa received 60 mm (6.0 cm) of rain.
The Wainui catchment (Hutt Valley) received 110 mm (11.0 cm) of rain.
Rain and sleet were driven sideways.
Flooding
Properties were flooded.
In eastern Wairarapa there were flood warnings in place on the Tinui, Taueru, Whangaehu and Huangaroa rivers.
There was surface flooding in much of the region. Several roads in the Wairarapa were closed due to flooding, in Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa.
Maritime / Coastal
Cars struggled in coastal areas as waves dumped seaweed and debris on roads.
The peak swell waves were 4.5 m.
Waves of up to 14.4 m smashed the coastline.
High Wind / Gust
at
Baring Head
Baring Head recorded a peak gust of 183 km/hr.
Flooding
at
Carterton
Roads were closed due to flooding in Carterton.
Heavy Rain
at
Castlepoint
Castlepoint recorded 90.2 mm (9.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
High Wind / Gust
The winds at Castlepoint averaged 100 km/hr on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Cook Strait
Cook Strait recorded a peak gust of 161 km/hr.
Cook Strait recorded an average wind speed of 130 km/hr.
Maritime / Coastal
Swells in Cook Strait were as high as 7m on the 17th.
On the 16th, the 12:30pm Lynx ferry was forced to turn back to Picton after conditions in Cook Strait became too rough when it emerged from Marlborough Sounds. On the 17th, fierce weather and big swells in Cook Strait forced the cancellation of the interisland ferries and the Lynx ferry sailing was cancelled at 12:30pm. Hundreds of people were affected when all Interisland ferry sailings were suspended.
Multi Hazard
at
Eastbourne
Homes were evacuated in Lower Hutt, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne due to slips and floods.
Flooding
at
Hungaroa Stream
Hungaroa Stream flooded over a bridge that crosses it.
Heavy Rain
at
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt recorded 80 mm (8.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Surface flooding occurred in Lower Hutt on the 17th.
Waiwhetu Stream burst its banks, flooding properties, some of which had only recently been reinhabited after evacutions during the February floods.
Multi Hazard
Homes were evacuated in Lower Hutt, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne due to slips and floods.
High winds caused a large tree to fall near the Dowse Drive intersection on Western Hutt Road, blocking one northbound lane of State Highway 2 just after 5pm on the 17th.
Maritime / Coastal
Huge waves swamped the Hutt Valley railway line.
High Wind / Gust
at
Lyall Bay
Police closed off roads at Lyall Bay on the 18th due to the danger of flying debris.
Heavy Rain
at
Masterton
Masterton recorded 66 mm (6.6 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Surface flooding occurred in Masterton on the 17th. Some roads were closed.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mt Kaukau
Mt Kaukau recorded a peak gust of 183 km/hr.
Mt Kaukau recorded an average wind speed of 133 km/hr.
Heavy Rain
at
Ngawi
Ngawai recorded 52.2 mm (5.2 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Orongorongo River
The Orongaronga Ranges recorded 140 mm (14.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Orongorongo Hill received 130 mm (13.0 cm) of rain.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Petone
Seawaves swept across railway lines in Petone.
High Wind / Gust
at
Porirua
The Porirua motorway was closed to southbound traffic for 20 minutes after 7pm on the 17th when a large tree fell and blocked both lanes.
Snow / Ice
at
Rimutaka Hill
Snow fell at the summit of the Rimutaka Hill Road on the 15th and generally on the Rimutakas on the 16th.
The snow was 10 cm deep.
The Rimutaka Hill Road on State Highway 2 was open only briefly on the morning of the 17th and closed again that night with heavy snow falling in the area.
Flooding
at
Wainuiomapu Stream
A 46-year-old female postie died while driving to work in the storm around 5:30am on the 18th. Her vehicle was found in the swollen Wainuiomapu Stream beside Maringi Road that night and on the morning of the 19th her body was found just downstream from the submerged car.
Heavy Rain
at
Wainuiomata
Wainuiomata recorded 96 mm (9.6 cm) of rai in 24 hours.
Multi Hazard
Homes were evacuated in Lower Hutt, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne due to slips and floods.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington City
Panels were blown off two buildings at Queens Wharf on the waterfront, and windows were blown in at the former Herd Street Post Office Building.
Broken glass littered roads and footpaths around Basin Reserve, where more than 12 windows on the R.A. Vance stand were blown out. More glass and other debris was flying around on the waterfront.
New Zealand Post cancelled postal deliveries in the city.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International Airport
Part of the roof of the Koru Lounge at Wellington Airport was blown off, and the interior was subsequently partially flooded.
Wellington Airport was closed. All 190 Air New Zealand flights on the 18th were suspended, affecting 9000 domestic and international passengers.
Wellington Airport recorded a peak gust of 119 km/hr.
Wellington Airport recorded wind speeds averaging 87 km/hr.
Marlborough
High Wind / Gust
at
Marlborough
Gale force winds hammered Marlborough on the morning of the 18th.
The travel plans of hundreds of people were disrupted.
Properties in the outer Marlborough Sounds were damaged by high winds.
Multi Hazard
at
Arapawa Island
A resident of Arapawa Island, at the entrance to the Tory Channel, described the weather as "shocking".
High Wind / Gust
There were winds of 80 knots (148 km/hr).
A garden was torn up and a neighbouring shed was blown down.
Maritime / Coastal
There was a huge sea running, with 6-metre rolls.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Tory Channel
The entrance to Tory Channel was closed on the 17th due to fierce weather and big swells. This was only the third time it had been closed in 10 years.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ward
Up to 150 homes on the east coast south of Ward were without power overnight from 9pm on the 17th. The affected areas included the Ure (Waima) River area, and Kekerengu and Clarence in Canterbury.
High Wind / Gust
at
Woodbourne
Flights were affected at Marlborough Airport.
West Coast
Lightning
at
West Coast
A West Coast farmer was struck by lightning on the 15th while riding his farmbike. He was taken to Grey Hospital during a spectacular thunderstorm, but did not suffer any burns.
Canterbury
Snow / Ice
at
Canterbury
There were snow showers from Banks Peninsula to the Kaikoura Coast on the 15th and 16th.
A few inches of snow fell in Canterbury on the 15th.
Snow / Ice
at
Christchurch
Flights into Christchurch Airport were cancelled on the 15th because of sleet and snow. Hundreds of passengers were stranded.
Christchurch received up to 15 cm of snow overnight on the 15th/16th.
Summit Road was closed on the 15th and 16th.
Several trees fell under the weight of the snow.
Several schools and businesses in Christchurch were closed on 16th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Clarence
Homes in Clarence were without power overnight from 9pm on the 17th.
Snow / Ice
at
Kaikoura
Snow fell to 300m along the Kaikoura coast.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kekerengu
Homes in Kekerengu were without power overnight from 9pm on the 17th.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Cook
Some of Air New Zealand's Mt Cook flights were cancelled on the 15th.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Otago
North Otago received 10 cm of snow.
All primary / intermediate and most secondary schools were closed between Waitati and Mosgiel.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunedin
Dunedin was virtually cut off from the outside world on the 15th. The main arterial routes in and out of Dunedin were closed on the 15th and 16th: Three Mile Hill Road, State Highway 1 to the south between Dunedin and Milton and State Highway 1 to the north between Waikouaiti and Dunedin.
Most Dunedin businesses had to close on the 16th because of the bad weather and closed roads.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunedin Airport
Dunedin Airport was closed on the 15th and 16th. A least five flights were affected and up to 360 people were stranded.
There was 1-2 cm of snow on the airport runway.
Snow / Ice
at
Humboldt Mountains
Four people were injured when an avalanche hit a heliskiing party in the Humboldt Mountains, near Glenorchy. One woman was flown to hospital with a moderate spinal injury, and three others received minor injuries.
Southland
Snow / Ice
at
Southland
There were light snowfalls in Southland on the 15th. About 8 cm of snow fell in some areas.
State Highway 96 between Winton and Ohai was closed on the 16th. State Highway 94 between Te Anau and Milford Sound was also closed.
References
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Floods and High Rainfall to 31st May 2006.
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Snowstorms to 14 June 2006.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.) Newsletter 98, September 2004.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.) Newsletter 99, December 2004.
- www.metservice.co.nz / Learning Center / Notable Recent Weather / Winter 2004 / 14 - 19 August.
- www.metservice, notable weather events.govt.nz.
- Headline: Tornado victim's name released.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB, 15 August 2004.
- Headline: Big chill maintains grip on country.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 August 2004, 6:30pm.
- Headline: Icy blast heads north.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 16 August 2004.
- Headline: Rescuers cleared over tuna boat deaths.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 June 2005.
- Headline: Storm blasts Dunedin, extends north.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 August 2004, 10:45am.
- Headline: Tornado claims second life with death of 10-year-old.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, source: NZPA, 16 August 2004.
- Headline: Twister shatters lives of Taranaki farming family.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 16 August 2004.
- Headline: Ferries cancelled, roads closed as weather worsens.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 August 2004.
- Headline: Snow closes North Island roads, disrupts ferry services.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 August 2004, 10:10am.
- Headline: Gale compared with Wahine storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 18 August 2004, 10:45pm.
- Headline: Postie missing as violent storm batters lower North Island.
- New Zealand Herald, Source: NZPA, 18 August 2004.
- Headline: Postie's vehicle found in stream.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 August 2004.
- Headline: Man dead, another lost in fierce seas.
- The Northern Advocate, 17 August 2004.
- Headline: Searchers give up hope: Wind conditions hinder.
- The Northern Advocate, 18 August 2004.
- Headline: Tornado victim named.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News and RNZ, 15 August 2004, 11:06am.
- Headline: Body of missing postie found.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: RNZ, 18 August 2004, 3:21pm.