NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
February 1949 Upper South Island Flooding ( 1949-02-22 )
Tasman-Nelson and Marlborough experienced heavy rain and high winds. West Coast experienced severe flooding in the Buller and the Grey River which lead to heavy stock losses.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 2 days - From the 22nd to the 23rd of February.
Tasman-Nelson
Heavy Rain
at
Murchison
Murchison recorded 2.19 in (5.56 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Damage to Murchison county roads totalled £1530 ($99,720 2009 dollars).
Heavy Rain
at
Nelson City
Heavy rain fell in Nelson with rainfall ending at 9.30am on the 23rd.
Cawthron Institute in Nelson recorded 1.27 in (3.23 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Nelson recorded 99 points (2.51 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
High Wind / Gust
Rain was accompained by northeasterly wind with gusts up to 50 mph (80.45 km/hr).
Heavy Rain
at
Takaka
Takaka recorded 4.71 in (11.96 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Marlborough
Multi Hazard
at
Marlborough
Heavy rain and a strong north-west wind hit Marlborough on the 22nd.
Flooding
The state highway between Nelson and Blenheim was blocked.
The Blenheim-Christchurch State Highway suffered damage worth £1250 ($81,470 2009 dollars).
Pelorus and Wakamarina rivers were in high flood.
Landslide
Lewis Pass route between Nelson and Canterbury was closed due to slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Blenheim
Blenheim recorded 0.47 in (1.19 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Havelock
Havelock recorded 4.45 in (11.30 cm) of rain in 12 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Rai Valley and Canvastown
Rai Valley recorded 5.30 in (13.46 cm) of rain in 12 hours.
Flooding
There was heavy flooding to Rai Valley and Canvastown.
There were some stock losses reported.
Road damage occurred.
Several houses were invaded by floodwaters.
The road at Morrin's Hollow was blocked by floodwaters.
There was surface flooding in the area.
School was closed
Water to a depth of 4.5 ft (1.37 m) was over the state highway in Canvastown.
High Wind / Gust
Some sheds lost their roofs overnight.
Flooding
at
Wairau River
Wairau River rose in the high country after heavy rain.
West Coast
Heavy Rain
at
West Coast
There was heavy rain over the West Coast on the 23rd.
Rainfalls in back country of Grey Valley ranged from 2-9 in (5.08-22.86 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Landslide
Otira Gorge, Buller Gorge, Lewis Pass, and the main south road at Wataroa were all blocked by slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Buller River
Buller Gorge recorded 6.28 in (15.95 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
There was general flooding throughout the Buller district.
All rivers were swollen.
Buller River was rising to level approaching that of the flood of 1926.
Roads were flooded at several places.
Flooding
at
Coal Creek
There were large areas inundated at Coal Creek.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 1.9 in (4.83 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Grey River was in heavy flood and came within 2 ft (0.61 m) of crossing the wharf.
There was flooding in Greymouth and the river flooded properties in Grey Valley.
There were heavy stock losses.
Cobden Island was almost completely underwater.
Five cattle were swept down Grey River.
Low-lying streets were flooded.
Flooding
at
Hokitika
Hokitika River rose and floodwater backed up the streets.
Flooding
at
Karamea
Considerable damage was done at Karamea.
Flooding
at
Mokihinui
The most serious flooding was at Mokihinui. The river swept through the township and entered nearly every house, farm and building.
In the hotel floodwaters were one foot (0.30 m) deep.
Heavy Rain
at
Otira
Otira recorded 9.00 in (22.86 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Reefton
Reefton recorded 2.87 in (7.29 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Stockton
Stockton recorded 8.66 in (22.00 cm) of rain in 14 hours.
Flooding
at
Taramakau
One farmer at Taramakau lost 2000 sheep.
Heavy Rain
at
Westport
Westport recorded 1.5 in (3.81 cm) of rain in 12 hours.
References
- Cowie, C.A.: Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand, p.239.
- Headline: Downpour at Rai.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 23 February 1949.
- Headline: Nelson district receivces good soaking.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 23 February 1949.
- Headline: Floods subside, Traffic delayed yesterday.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 24 February 1949.
February 1949 Upper South Island Flooding ( 1949-02-22 )
Tasman-Nelson and Marlborough experienced heavy rain and high winds. West Coast experienced severe flooding in the Buller and the Grey River which lead to heavy stock losses.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 2 days - From the 22nd to the 23rd of February.
Tasman-Nelson
Heavy Rain
at
Murchison
Murchison recorded 2.19 in (5.56 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Damage to Murchison county roads totalled £1530 ($99,720 2009 dollars).
Heavy Rain
at
Nelson City
Heavy rain fell in Nelson with rainfall ending at 9.30am on the 23rd.
Cawthron Institute in Nelson recorded 1.27 in (3.23 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Nelson recorded 99 points (2.51 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
High Wind / Gust
Rain was accompained by northeasterly wind with gusts up to 50 mph (80.45 km/hr).
Heavy Rain
at
Takaka
Takaka recorded 4.71 in (11.96 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Marlborough
Multi Hazard
at
Marlborough
Heavy rain and a strong north-west wind hit Marlborough on the 22nd.
Flooding
The state highway between Nelson and Blenheim was blocked.
The Blenheim-Christchurch State Highway suffered damage worth £1250 ($81,470 2009 dollars).
Pelorus and Wakamarina rivers were in high flood.
Landslide
Lewis Pass route between Nelson and Canterbury was closed due to slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Blenheim
Blenheim recorded 0.47 in (1.19 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Havelock
Havelock recorded 4.45 in (11.30 cm) of rain in 12 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Rai Valley and Canvastown
Rai Valley recorded 5.30 in (13.46 cm) of rain in 12 hours.
Flooding
There was heavy flooding to Rai Valley and Canvastown.
There were some stock losses reported.
Road damage occurred.
Several houses were invaded by floodwaters.
The road at Morrin's Hollow was blocked by floodwaters.
There was surface flooding in the area.
School was closed
Water to a depth of 4.5 ft (1.37 m) was over the state highway in Canvastown.
High Wind / Gust
Some sheds lost their roofs overnight.
Flooding
at
Wairau River
Wairau River rose in the high country after heavy rain.
West Coast
Heavy Rain
at
West Coast
There was heavy rain over the West Coast on the 23rd.
Rainfalls in back country of Grey Valley ranged from 2-9 in (5.08-22.86 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Landslide
Otira Gorge, Buller Gorge, Lewis Pass, and the main south road at Wataroa were all blocked by slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Buller River
Buller Gorge recorded 6.28 in (15.95 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
There was general flooding throughout the Buller district.
All rivers were swollen.
Buller River was rising to level approaching that of the flood of 1926.
Roads were flooded at several places.
Flooding
at
Coal Creek
There were large areas inundated at Coal Creek.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 1.9 in (4.83 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Grey River was in heavy flood and came within 2 ft (0.61 m) of crossing the wharf.
There was flooding in Greymouth and the river flooded properties in Grey Valley.
There were heavy stock losses.
Cobden Island was almost completely underwater.
Five cattle were swept down Grey River.
Low-lying streets were flooded.
Flooding
at
Hokitika
Hokitika River rose and floodwater backed up the streets.
Flooding
at
Karamea
Considerable damage was done at Karamea.
Flooding
at
Mokihinui
The most serious flooding was at Mokihinui. The river swept through the township and entered nearly every house, farm and building.
In the hotel floodwaters were one foot (0.30 m) deep.
Heavy Rain
at
Otira
Otira recorded 9.00 in (22.86 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Reefton
Reefton recorded 2.87 in (7.29 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Stockton
Stockton recorded 8.66 in (22.00 cm) of rain in 14 hours.
Flooding
at
Taramakau
One farmer at Taramakau lost 2000 sheep.
Heavy Rain
at
Westport
Westport recorded 1.5 in (3.81 cm) of rain in 12 hours.
References
- Cowie, C.A.: Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand, p.239.
- Headline: Downpour at Rai.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 23 February 1949.
- Headline: Nelson district receivces good soaking.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 23 February 1949.
- Headline: Floods subside, Traffic delayed yesterday.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 24 February 1949.