NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
January 1989 Northland Cyclone Delilah
(
1989-01-06
)
30-40 years
Flooding resulting in damage equal to that wrought by Cyclone Bola inflicted on part of Northland. The cost of flood damage was over $5 million.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - Heavy rain and flooding lasted from the 6th to the 9th January 1989.
The unseasonable weather was caused by an anti-cyclone centred over the Chatham Islands which had stopped low pressure zones from moving east and away from New Zealand.
Northland
High Wind / Gust
at
Northland
Winds were gusting up to 50 knots (92.6 km/hr) around exposed headlands off the coast.
Flooding
Damage equal to that wrought by Cyclone Bola was inflicted on part of Northland.
Damage to farms at the time of Cyclone Bola 10 months ago was assessed at an average of $45,000 ($75,100 2010 dollars). The effect of the present flood were estimated at $80,000 ($133,500 2010 dollars) a farm.
The cost of flood damage to farmers in Northland is estimated to be $3,500,000 ($5,839,000 2010 dollars).
It was a 30 to 40 year frequency flood.
Motor camps were flooded.
Several roads in Northland were underwater and closed on the 6th.
Landslide
Slips at either end of the Mangamuka Gorge closed State Highway 1 about 40 km south of Kaitaia on the night of the 9th.
Heavy Rain
at
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands recorded 120 mm (12.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Kaeo
Cars were unable to enter or leave Kaeo for a time.
Flooding
at
Kerikeri
The Stone Store Bridge was temporarily closed to traffic when the waters of the Kerikeri River started to lap the bridge at the height of the flood.
The river level dropped quickly.
Heavy Rain
at
Puhipuhi
Puhipuhi catchment area (above the Hikurangi basin) recorded 415 mm (41.5 cm) of rain in four days.
Flooding
at
Whakapara
Torrential rain left 180 farms near Whakapara with flood-water on them and 17 properties were severely affected.
Water levels had been as high as three metres above the stopbanks.
About 3000 ha of farm land in the Whakapara and Hikurangi swamp area were under water on the 8th. Loss of milk production occurred as a result.
Floodwaters closed State Highway 1 at Whakapara, north of Hikurangi, in three places on the 6th.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
Whangarei recorded 65 mm (6.5 cm) of rain from 9am on the 6th to 9am on the 7th. The average for the month is 86 mm (8.6 cm).
Auckland
Heavy Rain
at
Auckland city
Auckland recorded 86.3 mm (8.63 cm) of rain on the 8th. This was 28 mm (2.8 cm) more than the usual rainfall for the whole of January.
Waikato
Flooding
at
Waikato
The highway over the Kaimai Ranges was reduced to one lane for several hours.
Multi Hazard
at
Coromandel
Heavy rain was accompanied by strong gusts of wind on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Landslide
A large slip reduced the main road from Colville to Coromandel to one lane.
References
- Headline: Farmers Face $3.5 Million Flood Damage.
- The New Zealand Herald, 10 January (Tuesday) 1989.
- Headline: Flooding Insult Added To Holiday Injury.
- The New Zealand Herald, 7 January (Saturday) 1989.
- Headline: Northland Damage Said to Equal Bola.
- The New Zealand Herald, 9 January (Monday) 1989.
- Headline: Weather woes.
- The Northern Advocate, 9 February 2007.
January 1989 Northland Cyclone Delilah
(
1989-01-06
)
30-40 years
Flooding resulting in damage equal to that wrought by Cyclone Bola inflicted on part of Northland. The cost of flood damage was over $5 million.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - Heavy rain and flooding lasted from the 6th to the 9th January 1989.
The unseasonable weather was caused by an anti-cyclone centred over the Chatham Islands which had stopped low pressure zones from moving east and away from New Zealand.
Northland
High Wind / Gust
at
Northland
Winds were gusting up to 50 knots (92.6 km/hr) around exposed headlands off the coast.
Flooding
Damage equal to that wrought by Cyclone Bola was inflicted on part of Northland.
Damage to farms at the time of Cyclone Bola 10 months ago was assessed at an average of $45,000 ($75,100 2010 dollars). The effect of the present flood were estimated at $80,000 ($133,500 2010 dollars) a farm.
The cost of flood damage to farmers in Northland is estimated to be $3,500,000 ($5,839,000 2010 dollars).
It was a 30 to 40 year frequency flood.
Motor camps were flooded.
Several roads in Northland were underwater and closed on the 6th.
Landslide
Slips at either end of the Mangamuka Gorge closed State Highway 1 about 40 km south of Kaitaia on the night of the 9th.
Heavy Rain
at
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands recorded 120 mm (12.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Kaeo
Cars were unable to enter or leave Kaeo for a time.
Flooding
at
Kerikeri
The Stone Store Bridge was temporarily closed to traffic when the waters of the Kerikeri River started to lap the bridge at the height of the flood.
The river level dropped quickly.
Heavy Rain
at
Puhipuhi
Puhipuhi catchment area (above the Hikurangi basin) recorded 415 mm (41.5 cm) of rain in four days.
Flooding
at
Whakapara
Torrential rain left 180 farms near Whakapara with flood-water on them and 17 properties were severely affected.
Water levels had been as high as three metres above the stopbanks.
About 3000 ha of farm land in the Whakapara and Hikurangi swamp area were under water on the 8th. Loss of milk production occurred as a result.
Floodwaters closed State Highway 1 at Whakapara, north of Hikurangi, in three places on the 6th.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
Whangarei recorded 65 mm (6.5 cm) of rain from 9am on the 6th to 9am on the 7th. The average for the month is 86 mm (8.6 cm).
Auckland
Heavy Rain
at
Auckland city
Auckland recorded 86.3 mm (8.63 cm) of rain on the 8th. This was 28 mm (2.8 cm) more than the usual rainfall for the whole of January.
Waikato
Flooding
at
Waikato
The highway over the Kaimai Ranges was reduced to one lane for several hours.
Multi Hazard
at
Coromandel
Heavy rain was accompanied by strong gusts of wind on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Landslide
A large slip reduced the main road from Colville to Coromandel to one lane.
References
- Headline: Farmers Face $3.5 Million Flood Damage.
- The New Zealand Herald, 10 January (Tuesday) 1989.
- Headline: Flooding Insult Added To Holiday Injury.
- The New Zealand Herald, 7 January (Saturday) 1989.
- Headline: Northland Damage Said to Equal Bola.
- The New Zealand Herald, 9 January (Monday) 1989.
- Headline: Weather woes.
- The Northern Advocate, 9 February 2007.