NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue

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January 2002 New Zealand Storm ( 2002-01-01 )

South Island was hit by lightning, heavy rain, hail and flooding for five days. Two trampers in the Southern Alps were drowned. Levin was hit by a tornado.

New Zealand

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at New Zealand
Comments:

CauseAn active trough moved east over the country, preceded by a strong, moist, northwestery flow and followed by a cooler unstable southwesterly airstream.

South Island

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at South Island
Duration:   5  days - The storm lasted for five days from the 1st to the 5th of January over the West Coast, Canterbury and Otago.
Comments:

Manawatu-Wanganui

TornadoTornado at Levin
Map Location: -40.610591 175.272321
Comments:

CommentOn the 4th, a tornado uprooted trees at the Levin Golf Course.

West Coast

FloodingFlooding at West Coast
Comments:

CauseA cold front moved briskly over the south of South Island, and was preceded by strong winds. Rain moved ahead of the front and was responsible for the West Coast deluges.

CommentWest Coast rivers were still swollen on the 3rd.

Affected LifelineState Highway 73 and 6 were both closed by floods and slips for a time.

LandslideLandslide at Buller Gorge
Map Location: -41.849572 171.723034
Comments:

Affected LifelineA slip derailed a goods train at Buller Gorge.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Hokitika
Map Location: -42.717176 170.960959
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicHokitika recorded 2.0cm of rain in one hour.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineState Highway 6 between Haast and Hokitika was reopened on the morning of the 4th.

LightningLightning
Comments:

CommentHokitika Airport had 481 lightning flashes on the 2nd.

CommentHokitika Airport had 937 lightning flashes during the 1st to the 4th.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Westport
Map Location: -41.750212 171.582563
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWestport recorded 3.7cm of rain in one hour.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineState Highway 6 between Westport and Karamea was closed on the night of the 2nd because of flooding. It was reopened at 3am on the 3rd.

Property DamageHomes and businesses were flooded.

FloodingFlooding at Greymouth
Map Location: -42.451212 171.206779
Comments:

CommentThere was some flooding in low lying areas of Greymouth and some small slips on the 2nd due to heavy rain.

Affected LifelineHeavy rain caused slips and flooding on the main route between Christchurch and Greymouth. It was reopened on the morning of the 3rd.

Affected LifelineState Highway 73 between Jacksons and Kumara was closed on the night of the 2nd. It was reopened at approximately 7:30am on the 3rd.

FloodingFlooding at Franz Josef
Map Location: -43.390817 170.183962
Comments:

CommentOn the 3rd, the Waiho River level was close to the top of the stopbank at Franz Josef.

Affected LifelineThe bridge over the Waiho River, just south of Franz Josef, was closed after four metres of the approach was washed away on the 4th. The river caused the destruction of the spurs on the true right bank upstream of the bridge and and a breach of the bridge abutment.

Canterbury

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Canterbury
Comments:

CommentThunderstorms, lightning, torrential rain and hail lashed Christchurch on the 5th.

Insurance PaymentInsurance industry payouts for the damage caused by the storm was $3,000,000 ($3,687,000 2009 dollars).

Affected LifelineThere was a washout on the Rangitata River bridge, which had been undermined by the river.

Affected LifelineThere were power cuts in Christchurch.

HailHail
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicHail was 7.5 cm deep in some city areas.

Hail SizeHailstones were 2cm thick.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

CommentThere was local flooding and flashfloods in Christchurch.

FloodingFlooding at Arthur's Pass
Map Location: -42.906291 171.54993
Comments:

CommentIt was still raining in the ranges on the 3rd but roads were all open.

FloodingFlooding at Rangitata River
Map Location: -44.04593 171.40519
Comments:

Affected LifelineFloodwaters washed out the approach to a bridge over the Rangitata River.

ImpactA freight train derailed and plunged into the river on line between Christchurch and Dunedin at approximately 9:40pm on the 4th.

InjuriesThe driver of the train suffered three broken ribs.

Otago

LightningLightning at Queenstown
Map Location: -45.041441 168.645105
Comments:

InjuriesOn the 4th, a German tourist was seriously injured when he was struck by lightning twice on the Ben Lomond track near Queenstown. He was struck the second time as he lay unconcious from the first strike. He suffered burns.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Balclutha
Map Location: -46.23013 169.733472
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicBalclutha recorded 6.4cm of rain in 24 hours on the 3rd.

FloodingFlooding at Young River
Map Location: -44.19561 169.18762
Comments:

CasualtiesA woman tramper fell almost four metres down a bank into the Young River in Mount Aspiring National Park on the 4th and drowned.

FloodingFlooding at Rees River
Map Location: -44.78183 168.39929
Comments:

CasualtiesA tramper was crossing a creek near the flooded Rees River when a flash flood swept down. A two metre high wall of water and sludge dragged him into Rees River near Glenorchy and he drowned.

FloodingFlooding at Makarora
Map Location: -44.23631 169.233253
Comments:

Affected LifelineA section of State Highway 6 near Makarora had surface flooding and rocks across the road.

References

Catalogue of Severe Hail Storms, 1924-1986 and 1991-2006, Source: DIGEST
Major weather events in New Zealand, FLOODS and HIGH RAINFALL, to 31st May 2006
Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.) Newsletter 88, March 2002.
Milligan, A. (2002). Waiho River Flooding Assessment for Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, August 2002. Report 80295/2. Optimx Ltd., Wellington. 51 p.
www.metservice, notable weather events.govt.nz
Headline: From summer swelter to wet weekend.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 4 January 2002.
Headline: Tramper dies as rain hits south.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 5 January 2002.
Headline: Canterbury freight train derailed - driver has lucky escape.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Christchurch Star and NZPA, 5 January 2002.
Headline: Month of weather extremes, from sunny days to flash floods.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 2 February 2002.
Headline: More rain expected for Westland.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 2 January 2002.
Headline: Treacherous road conditions in Westland after flooding.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 3 January 2002.
Headline: Summer of wild and wet extremes.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 4 March 2002.

January 2002 New Zealand Storm ( 2002-01-01 )

South Island was hit by lightning, heavy rain, hail and flooding for five days. Two trampers in the Southern Alps were drowned. Levin was hit by a tornado.

New Zealand

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at New Zealand
Comments:

CauseAn active trough moved east over the country, preceded by a strong, moist, northwestery flow and followed by a cooler unstable southwesterly airstream.

South Island

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at South Island
Duration:   5  days - The storm lasted for five days from the 1st to the 5th of January over the West Coast, Canterbury and Otago.
Comments:

Manawatu-Wanganui

TornadoTornado at Levin
Map Location: -40.610591 175.272321
Comments:

CommentOn the 4th, a tornado uprooted trees at the Levin Golf Course.

West Coast

FloodingFlooding at West Coast
Comments:

CauseA cold front moved briskly over the south of South Island, and was preceded by strong winds. Rain moved ahead of the front and was responsible for the West Coast deluges.

CommentWest Coast rivers were still swollen on the 3rd.

Affected LifelineState Highway 73 and 6 were both closed by floods and slips for a time.

LandslideLandslide at Buller Gorge
Map Location: -41.849572 171.723034
Comments:

Affected LifelineA slip derailed a goods train at Buller Gorge.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Hokitika
Map Location: -42.717176 170.960959
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicHokitika recorded 2.0cm of rain in one hour.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineState Highway 6 between Haast and Hokitika was reopened on the morning of the 4th.

LightningLightning
Comments:

CommentHokitika Airport had 481 lightning flashes on the 2nd.

CommentHokitika Airport had 937 lightning flashes during the 1st to the 4th.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Westport
Map Location: -41.750212 171.582563
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWestport recorded 3.7cm of rain in one hour.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineState Highway 6 between Westport and Karamea was closed on the night of the 2nd because of flooding. It was reopened at 3am on the 3rd.

Property DamageHomes and businesses were flooded.

FloodingFlooding at Greymouth
Map Location: -42.451212 171.206779
Comments:

CommentThere was some flooding in low lying areas of Greymouth and some small slips on the 2nd due to heavy rain.

Affected LifelineHeavy rain caused slips and flooding on the main route between Christchurch and Greymouth. It was reopened on the morning of the 3rd.

Affected LifelineState Highway 73 between Jacksons and Kumara was closed on the night of the 2nd. It was reopened at approximately 7:30am on the 3rd.

FloodingFlooding at Franz Josef
Map Location: -43.390817 170.183962
Comments:

CommentOn the 3rd, the Waiho River level was close to the top of the stopbank at Franz Josef.

Affected LifelineThe bridge over the Waiho River, just south of Franz Josef, was closed after four metres of the approach was washed away on the 4th. The river caused the destruction of the spurs on the true right bank upstream of the bridge and and a breach of the bridge abutment.

Canterbury

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Canterbury
Comments:

CommentThunderstorms, lightning, torrential rain and hail lashed Christchurch on the 5th.

Insurance PaymentInsurance industry payouts for the damage caused by the storm was $3,000,000 ($3,687,000 2009 dollars).

Affected LifelineThere was a washout on the Rangitata River bridge, which had been undermined by the river.

Affected LifelineThere were power cuts in Christchurch.

HailHail
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicHail was 7.5 cm deep in some city areas.

Hail SizeHailstones were 2cm thick.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

CommentThere was local flooding and flashfloods in Christchurch.

FloodingFlooding at Arthur's Pass
Map Location: -42.906291 171.54993
Comments:

CommentIt was still raining in the ranges on the 3rd but roads were all open.

FloodingFlooding at Rangitata River
Map Location: -44.04593 171.40519
Comments:

Affected LifelineFloodwaters washed out the approach to a bridge over the Rangitata River.

ImpactA freight train derailed and plunged into the river on line between Christchurch and Dunedin at approximately 9:40pm on the 4th.

InjuriesThe driver of the train suffered three broken ribs.

Otago

LightningLightning at Queenstown
Map Location: -45.041441 168.645105
Comments:

InjuriesOn the 4th, a German tourist was seriously injured when he was struck by lightning twice on the Ben Lomond track near Queenstown. He was struck the second time as he lay unconcious from the first strike. He suffered burns.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Balclutha
Map Location: -46.23013 169.733472
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicBalclutha recorded 6.4cm of rain in 24 hours on the 3rd.

FloodingFlooding at Young River
Map Location: -44.19561 169.18762
Comments:

CasualtiesA woman tramper fell almost four metres down a bank into the Young River in Mount Aspiring National Park on the 4th and drowned.

FloodingFlooding at Rees River
Map Location: -44.78183 168.39929
Comments:

CasualtiesA tramper was crossing a creek near the flooded Rees River when a flash flood swept down. A two metre high wall of water and sludge dragged him into Rees River near Glenorchy and he drowned.

FloodingFlooding at Makarora
Map Location: -44.23631 169.233253
Comments:

Affected LifelineA section of State Highway 6 near Makarora had surface flooding and rocks across the road.

References

Catalogue of Severe Hail Storms, 1924-1986 and 1991-2006, Source: DIGEST
Major weather events in New Zealand, FLOODS and HIGH RAINFALL, to 31st May 2006
Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.) Newsletter 88, March 2002.
Milligan, A. (2002). Waiho River Flooding Assessment for Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, August 2002. Report 80295/2. Optimx Ltd., Wellington. 51 p.
www.metservice, notable weather events.govt.nz
Headline: From summer swelter to wet weekend.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 4 January 2002.
Headline: Tramper dies as rain hits south.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 5 January 2002.
Headline: Canterbury freight train derailed - driver has lucky escape.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Christchurch Star and NZPA, 5 January 2002.
Headline: Month of weather extremes, from sunny days to flash floods.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 2 February 2002.
Headline: More rain expected for Westland.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 2 January 2002.
Headline: Treacherous road conditions in Westland after flooding.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 3 January 2002.
Headline: Summer of wild and wet extremes.
www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 4 March 2002.