Auckland recorded 0.71 in (1.80 cm) of rain in 24 hours to midnight on the 19th.

The 9 p.m. on the 20th spring tide was predicted to be the highest since last February, but was backed up by a strong northerly wind it reached an even higher level than expected.

The tide gauge kept by the Auckland Harbour Board at Queen's Wharf at 9 p.m. registered 13 ft 2 in (4.01 m), a height with few equivalents in recent years.

From about 8:30 to 9.30 p.m. the waterfront road was awash in parts.

For more than half an hour during the period of high tide on the 20th Lake Road, Devonport, was under water to a depth of more than 12 in (0.3 m) on the low lying land near the old Takapuna racecourse.

Several farms at Helensville were inundated on the 19th when the area experienced the highest tide within memory.

A spring tide and flood waters from recent heavy rains were backed up by a strong westerly wind. The water approached some houses on the flat in the town, but there was no damage on the waterfront.

The Manukau bar was unworkable on the 19th.

A strong westerly wind coinciding with exceptionally high tides caused some flooding along the foreshore at Onehunga on the 21st and 22nd. It was estimated that the tide reached its highest level for over 15 years.

Cars passing over Mangere Bridge on the afternoon of the 21st were drenched with spray as waves broke with violence over the causeway and at one stage the lower portion of the bridge was awash. Roads along the foreshore of the low lying area of the Mangere and Onehunga waterfronts were littered with seaweed and flotsam left by the receding tide waters.

The sea broke over the end of the Onehunga Wharf and washed the roads leading to the wharf.

Although official measurements were not taken, it was estimated that the tide on the morning of the 22nd at Onehunga had a range of nearly 20 feet (6.1 m), which was the highest for over 15 years.

The tide was exceptionally high and rose 18 inches (0.46 m) above the previously known high tide mark.

There was considerable flooding in the Miranda area and the Miranda road is still under water.

The high tide also did considerable damage to the roadway near Kaiaua and in places washed it completely away, leaving only a beach for traffic to pass along. The bridge at the limeworks was completely covered by the tide.

The high tides came over the stopbank near the Pipiroa ferry and spread over the surrounding country, right up to the Horahia bank, a distance of approximately a mile and a half, and as a result of the strong current the stopbank was washed almost completely away.

Farms were flooded and a house was completely surrounded by the water which was over three feet (0.91 m) deep and flowing through the house.

An exceptionally high tide, driven by a strong north westerlywind, combined with flood waters in the Piako River to flood hundreds of acres in the Kopuarahi district on the night of the 20th. The water had not receded by the 23rd.

The worst flooding occurred at Kopuarahi, where the tide swept over the stopbanks on the foreshore and covered 400 acres of farmlands.

As the flood waters were from the sea, and not the backed up river waters which flooded other parts, the damage to pastures, from the salt content, was severe.

At Tararu the Borough camping ground was inches deep in water and some of the homes on the seaward side were almost surrounded.

On two nights ships berthed at New Plymouth broke their lines and swung away from the wharves causing damage three ships.

Breaching sand dunes on the Waitara foreshore on the night of the 18th, raging seas swept on to batter two cottages situated about 50 feet above the normal high water mark. The cottages were situated in a depression behind sand dunes about 220 yards west of the mouth of the Waitara River.

The occupants were forced to evacuate the cottages, removing their furniture and belongings before the invading waters reached their height.

Whipped into fury by a strong westerly gale, waves scoured the sand dunes and occasional waves broke over the top of the sand hills. The waves battered the cottages with sufficient force to break windows and do structural damage.

Drift wood and sand were piles around the cottages on the 19th to a depth of four feet (1.22 m).

Passing the cottage the waves dashed through a pine plantation and swamped Centenial Avenue on the lake side of the beach reserve. Water swirled around the foundations of the Waitara Swimming and Life-Saving Clubs new clubhouse, about 45 feet (13.7 m) above normal high water, and the surf tipped over a concrete pillbox.

Breaching a boulder wall in three places and sweeping the breastwork away at a number of other points, heavy seas broke on to the railway yards at New Plymouth on the 21st.

Heavy seas pounding the south spit, a narrow strip near the mouth of the Wanganui River caused a breach. The Wanganui River, swollen by heavy rains in the back country, was on the morning of the 20th flowing over the protective works.

The highest tide for many years was recorded in Wellington on the 19th. At high tide, at 4.36 p.m., a height of 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) was marked at the office of the Wellington Harbour Board. The normal spring tide would have been about 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m). It was the highest tide in the memory of old Harbour Board officials.

Water seeped into the basements of many buildings on the waterfront and it is expected that some damage was done to the goods stored.

The basement of the General Post Office was badly flooded.

Blown by a westerly wind, waves were breaking over the Hutt-Eastbourne road at high tide. In Lowry Bay, York Bay, Maheno Bay and Day's Bay the waves were breaking right across the road, leaving quantities of driftwood and flotsam.

The height of the tide was most apparent in the lower parts of the Hutt River. Areas never before seen under water by most of the inhabitants were well covered.

"When the barometric pressure is low at the new moon high tides are often caused", said a Harbour Board official, "This is the only reason I can give for this abnormally high tide".