NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
June 1998 Wellington Storm
(
1998-06-26
)
20 years
Torrential rain fell in Wellington city causing flash floods and landslides. Lightning resulted in power outages for thousands of people.
Wellington
Heavy Rain
at
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt recorded 25 mm (2.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 26th.
Heavy Rain
at
Paraparaumu
Paraparaumu recorded 9 mm (0.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 26th.
Heavy Rain
at
Wellington city
There was torrential rain in Wellington with rainfall return periods exceeding 200 years.
Kelburn recorded 69.5 mm (6.95 cm) of rain in one hour and 40 minutes to 9.10pm on the 26th (which has a return period of over 150 years).
In Karori, 80 mm (8.0 cm) of rain in one hour and 15 minutes was reported to have fallen.
28 mm (2.8 cm) of rain fell on the central city between 7:45pm and 8pm on the 26th.
A depression formed as a "bomb" low. The bomb depression moved initially southeast towards New Zealand, then steered more eastwards and eventually crossed central New Zealand. A moist unstable core crossed Wellington. The heavy rain occurred in this unstable northwesterly air, just ahead of a cold southerly change which spread northwards behind the depression and associated trough. Multi-cellular cumulonimbus clouds developed over hills west of Wellington.
Heavy rain had been forecast for the Tararuas only.
Heavy rain around Wellington affected only a small area from Karori to the CBD.
Flooding
Flash flooding and slips occurred in central city.
A number of properties were damaged and vehicles submerged.
Some vehicles in Northland and Thornton Quay had water up to the windows.
A dead cow found on a front lawn at Karori.
There were 35 motor vehicle crashes including a six-car crash on the Hutt motorway.
There were 100 calls to the fire service to control flooding in four hours.
Shops on Willis Street and Lambton Quay were flooded.
Residents described the flood as the worst seen in 20 years.
Homes in Thorndon were evacuated.
Landslide
53 guests at Oriental Bay hotel were evacuated due to a landslide behind the hotel.
There were slips in Northland, Wadestown, Wilton and Roseneath.
Lightning
There was a short period of intense thunderstorm activity which struck parts of Wellington.
Power cuts to 6000 homes were caused by thunderstorms. Power was out for 2400 customers in Khandallah, Broadmeadows, Ngaio and Thorndon due to lightning hitting an 110,000 volt line supplying the Kaiwharawhata substation. Power out for 1100 customers in Central Business District and Brooklyn.
Heavy Rain
at
Wellington International Airport
Wellington Airport recorded 25 mm (2.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 26th.
References
- Major weather events in New Zealand, FLOODS and HIGH RAINFALL to 31st May 2006.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.) Newsletter 74, March 1998.
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Capital counts cost of sudden storm.
- The Evening Post, June 27 1998.
- Headline: Capital hit by storm.
- The Press, Source: NZPA, 27 June 1998.
- www.metservice, notable weather events.govt.nz
June 1998 Wellington Storm
(
1998-06-26
)
20 years
Torrential rain fell in Wellington city causing flash floods and landslides. Lightning resulted in power outages for thousands of people.
Wellington
Heavy Rain
at
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt recorded 25 mm (2.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 26th.
Heavy Rain
at
Paraparaumu
Paraparaumu recorded 9 mm (0.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 26th.
Heavy Rain
at
Wellington city
There was torrential rain in Wellington with rainfall return periods exceeding 200 years.
Kelburn recorded 69.5 mm (6.95 cm) of rain in one hour and 40 minutes to 9.10pm on the 26th (which has a return period of over 150 years).
In Karori, 80 mm (8.0 cm) of rain in one hour and 15 minutes was reported to have fallen.
28 mm (2.8 cm) of rain fell on the central city between 7:45pm and 8pm on the 26th.
A depression formed as a "bomb" low. The bomb depression moved initially southeast towards New Zealand, then steered more eastwards and eventually crossed central New Zealand. A moist unstable core crossed Wellington. The heavy rain occurred in this unstable northwesterly air, just ahead of a cold southerly change which spread northwards behind the depression and associated trough. Multi-cellular cumulonimbus clouds developed over hills west of Wellington.
Heavy rain had been forecast for the Tararuas only.
Heavy rain around Wellington affected only a small area from Karori to the CBD.
Flooding
Flash flooding and slips occurred in central city.
A number of properties were damaged and vehicles submerged.
Some vehicles in Northland and Thornton Quay had water up to the windows.
A dead cow found on a front lawn at Karori.
There were 35 motor vehicle crashes including a six-car crash on the Hutt motorway.
There were 100 calls to the fire service to control flooding in four hours.
Shops on Willis Street and Lambton Quay were flooded.
Residents described the flood as the worst seen in 20 years.
Homes in Thorndon were evacuated.
Landslide
53 guests at Oriental Bay hotel were evacuated due to a landslide behind the hotel.
There were slips in Northland, Wadestown, Wilton and Roseneath.
Lightning
There was a short period of intense thunderstorm activity which struck parts of Wellington.
Power cuts to 6000 homes were caused by thunderstorms. Power was out for 2400 customers in Khandallah, Broadmeadows, Ngaio and Thorndon due to lightning hitting an 110,000 volt line supplying the Kaiwharawhata substation. Power out for 1100 customers in Central Business District and Brooklyn.
Heavy Rain
at
Wellington International Airport
Wellington Airport recorded 25 mm (2.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 26th.
References
- Major weather events in New Zealand, FLOODS and HIGH RAINFALL to 31st May 2006.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.) Newsletter 74, March 1998.
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Capital counts cost of sudden storm.
- The Evening Post, June 27 1998.
- Headline: Capital hit by storm.
- The Press, Source: NZPA, 27 June 1998.
- www.metservice, notable weather events.govt.nz