NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
June 2008 New Zealand Snow
(
2008-06-06
)
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 6th till the 9th of June.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 10:50 am 05-Jun-2008: Severe gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury late Friday. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Southland, Otago and Canterbury.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:57 pm 05-Jun-2008: Severe gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury late Friday. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Southland, Otago and Canterbury south of Mt Hutt.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:16 am 06-Jun-2008: Severe gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury late Friday. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Southland, Otago and Canterbury south of Mt Hutt.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 11:22 am 06-Jun-2008: Severe gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury late Friday. Heavy snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago including the Catlins. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Southland, Otago and Canterbury south of Mt Hutt; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: the ranges of Southland and eastern Otago, including the Catlins.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 5:32 pm 06-Jun-2008: Severe westerly gales forecast from Southland to Wairarapa and Wellington, heavy rain on the West Coast and snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland and the ranges of Westland as far north as Otira; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough, Wairarapa and Wellington; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges and Southland and eastern Otago especially the Catlins area.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:39 pm 06-Jun-2008: Severe westerly gales from Southland to Wairarapa and Wellington, heavy rain on the West Coast and snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland and the ranges of Westland as far north as Otira; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough, Wairarapa and Wellington; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and eastern Otago especially the Catlins area.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:34 am 07-Jun-2008: Severe westerly gales forecast for Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa. Heavy rain in the Westland ranges. Snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: the ranges of Westland as far north as Otira; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa especially the summit of the Rimutaka Road; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and eastern Otago especially the Catlins area. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for Fiordland; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for Otago, Southland and Canterbury.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 11:30 am 07-Jun-2008: Burst of heavy rain for the Tararuas, also the hill country west and southwest of Lake Taupo, including Taumarunui and Waitomo. Severe westerly gales for Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa. Snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: the ranges of Westland as far north as Otira, the Tararuas, also the Central North Island ranges west and southwest of Lake Taupo, including Taumarunui and Waitomo; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa especially the summit of the Rimutaka Road; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and eastern Otago especially the Catlins.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 5:45 pm 07-Jun-2008: Burst of heavy rain for the Tararuas, also the hill country west and southwest of Lake Taupo, including Taumarunui and Waitomo. Severe westerly gales for Wellington and Wairarapa easing. Snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Tararua Ranges and the hilly country west and southwest of Lake Taupo from Waitomo and Taumarunui to Taihape including the headwaters of the Whanganui river and Tongariro National Park; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Wellington and Wairarapa especially near the ranges and about the hilltops; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and Otago especially the Catlins. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for ranges of Westland as far north as Otira; Strong Wind Warnings lifted for exposed areas of Marlborough.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:30 pm 07-Jun-2008: Heavy rain for the hill country west and southwest of Lake Taupo overnight Saturday but easing in the Tararua ranges. Snow showers for Southland and eastern Otago until about dawn on Sunday. Severe southwest gales from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula later on Sunday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: hilly country west and southwest of Lake Taupo from Waitomo and Taumarunui to Taihape including the headwaters of the Whanganui river and Tongariro National Park; HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and Otago especially the Catlins; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warning lifted for Tararua Ranges; Strong Wind Warnings lifted for exposed areas of Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:50 am 08-Jun-2008: Front with rain has moved off to the northeast of the North Island and freezing levels are expected to rise over southern New Zealand. Spell of severe southwest gales about the coast from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula from this afternoon. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for hilly country west and southwest of Lake Taupo from Waitomo and Taumarunui to Taihape including headwaters of the Whanganui River and Tongariro National Park; Heavy Snowfall Warnings lifted for hills and ranges of Southland and Otago especially the Catlins.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:53 pm 08-Jun-2008: Severe southwest gales about the coast from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula expected to ease tonight, but may return for a time during Monday morning or early afternoon. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:22 am 09-Jun-2008: Another spell of severe southwest gales expected in exposed places from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula today. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed places from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 5:40 pm 09-Jun-2008: Strong southwesterlies in exposed places from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula continuing to ease and are no longer expected to reach severe gale. Hence, the warning for this area is lifted. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Strong Wind Warnings lifted for exposed places from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula.
A series of cold fronts crossed New Zealand, bringing a very cold southerly outbreak. During the 6th, a west to northwest flow strenthened over the South Island. The conditions spread over the North Island overnight and into the 7th. A cold front moved onto the South Island on the 7th, followed by much colder southwesterlies. Undercutting cold air delivered heavier snowfalls in Canterbury. The cold front and southerly change moved into the North Island during the evening. During the 8th, the flow turned more west to southwest. Another cold front clipped the South Island later in the day, with a short blast of southwesterley gales.
High Wind / Gust
A storm from the Southern Ocean brought hurricane-force winds and rain to parts of the South Island and lower North Island on the night of the 6th. The severe north-westerly winds began easing on the morning of the 7th. The cold front weakened on the 8th and winds eased in most places.
North Island
Heavy Rain
at
North Island
The Tararua Range received an estimated 120 mm (12 cm) of rain in about 9 hours on the 7th.
Heavy showers fell over western and central parts of the North Island on the night of the 7th.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Snow / Ice
at
Desert Road
SH1 through the Desert Rd was closed on the 8th because of snow and ice at Aquaduct Hill, south of the summit.
Snow / Ice
at
Waiouru
Waiouru had snow overnight on the 7th.
On the 8th Waiouru only reached a maximum of 3 degC.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
Wellington was hit by strong southerlies and driving rain on the evening of the 7th.
High Wind / Gust
High winds in the Wellington hills dropped back to about 100 km/hr on the afternoon of the 7th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Castle Point
Castle Point recorded gusts of more than 150 km/hr.
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington City
In three hours on the 7th the temperature dropped eight degrees, from 13 degC at 6pm to 5 degC at 9pm. The wind chill made it feel as if it were -1 degC.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Wellington Harbour
Wellington harbour was reported to be rough and boisterous.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
A strong southerly front brought heavy winds, showers and snow to many parts of the South Island. The front was over northern Westland and North Canterbury by the evening of the 7th, with rain and snow settling in.
Snow, hail and sleet made driving conditions dangerous in Southland, Otago and Canterbury. Road conditions remained treacherous on the 8th due to ice.
Power was cut to about 500 homes on the night of the 7th. The worst affected homes lost power for seven hours but most were reconnected in a couple of hours.
Snow / Ice
Snow fell in many areas of the South Island on the 7th. Snow fell to near sea level from Southland to the Kaikoura Coast. On the 8th, snow fell across Otago and Southland from Queenstown to Clinton.
High Wind / Gust
120 km/hr winds whipped up 5m swells along the southern coast on the afternoon of the 8th.
Canterbury
Snow / Ice
at
Canterbury
Snow fell to sea level in Canterbury on the 7th. Heavy snow fell in South Canterbury, then spread across inland Canterbury to Christchurch. There was a solid white covering over much of Mid Canterbury west of Ashburton on the morning of the 8th. Light snow across Mid and South Canterbury began clearing.
Several Canterbury roads were closed on the 7th because of snow. Governor's Pass road on Banks Peninsula was completely closed and Summit Road from Mount Pleasant to Gebbies Pass was closed. On the 8th, roads in Canterbury were icy after the snow and several remained closed. The inland road between Waiau and Kaikoura was closed until further notice. Driving was hazardous on roads between Waipara and Cheviot and around Hanmer and Waiau. Late on the afternoon of the 8th, Port Hills Summit Rd was closed until further notice. On the 9th, severe black-ice warnings were in place on SH1 from Rakaia to St Andrews and SH8 from Omarama to Tarras.
It snowed heavily in inland Canterbury, about 20km west of Christchurch and heavy snow fell between Porters and Arthur's Passes.
In some places snow exceeded a depth of 13 cm on the 7th.
The MetService recorded a snowfall of between 2 cm and 6 cm in lowland Canterbury, with a little more on the foothills. Snow settled up to 10 cm deep across parts of the Canterbury Plains on the afternoon of the 7th.
Nearly 20 cm snow fell around the alpine passes and Canterbury Plains.
Canterbury had more snow than Otago and Southland because the winds were stronger further south.
Temperatures in Mid Canterbury struggled to get above 0 degrees on the morning of the 8th.
Multi Hazard
Heavy falls of snow gave way to southerly rain late on the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Ashburton
About 5cm of snow fell in Ashburton.
Ashburton reached a maximum temperature of 6degC on the 8th.
Multi Hazard
at
Christchurch
Despite cold conditions, the night of the 6th was the warmest overnight low on record in Christchurch (15.7 degrees) due to north-westerlys.
Rain and sleet fell in Christchurch on the morning of the 7th.
Snow / Ice
A cold southerly change at lunchtime brought snow to Christchurch. The city was described as a winter wonderland with a whiteout on the ground and cars covered in snow.
Christchurch Airport was closed from 5:20pm-7:50pm on the 7th. Snow forced Air New Zealand to cancel eight domestic and two international flights, including flights to and from Auckland, Nelson and Wellington, and also Sydney and Brisbane. More than 1000 passengers had to be re-booked. Pacific Blue was also forced to cancel a flight to Brisbane. On the 8th, the airport had delays most of the morning due to the need to remove snow and ice layers. One service was delayed 90 minutes.
There were several centimetres of snow in western parts of Christchurch.
About 5 cm of snow fell on the Christchurch airport runway from about 4pm on the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Darfield
Snow made driving difficult in parts of Darfield.
Snow / Ice
at
Dry Creek station
At Dry Creek Station, at the headwaters of the Orari River, there was 7 cm of snow on the ground.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunsandel
There was snow a couple of inches deep on the ground in Dunsandel.
Snow / Ice
at
Fairlie
5-7cm of snow fell in and around Fairlie on the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Geraldine
About 5 cm of snow fell in Geraldine.
Snow / Ice
at
Greta Valley
There was heavy snow on SH1 in Greta Valley as far north as Cheviot.
A truck jack-knifed on SH1 in the Greta Valley on the 7th, causing a large traffic jam. At one point about 300 cars were stuck on either side. On the 8th, work continued on SH1 at Greta Valley to clear two trucks in the northern lane which came to grief because of ice. Traffic was backed up some way. The road was not completely reopened until 9:50am on the 8th. Several cars slipped off SH1 in icy conditions in Greta Valley on 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Hanmer Springs
Snow fell in Hanmer Springs on the night of the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Kaikoura
There was 15 cm of snow on the inland Kaikoura road above 500m.
Snow / Ice
at
Methven
Electricity Asburton's linesmen dealt with a few minor problems in the Methven area on the weekend.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Dobson Skifield
Mt Dobson reported 10 cm of snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Hutt
Mt Hutt received 25-30 cm of snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Somers
There was 20 cm of snow on Mt Somers above 600m.
Snow / Ice
at
Ohau Skifield
Ohau reported 10 cm of snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Porters Pass
About 50 motorists were stranded in Porters Pass for several hours on the 7th after cars without chains blocked the road. SH73 was finally closed at 6pm.
Snow / Ice
at
Rangiora
There was snow a couple of inches deep on the ground in Rangiora.
Snow / Ice
at
Timaru
Heavy snow fell to sea level in Timaru for several hours on the 7th.
Up to 13 cm of snow was reported in places in Timaru. There was 5 cm of snow on the ground late on the 7th and still a light covering on the 8th.
Otago
High Wind / Gust
at
Otago
Damaging strong winds forced the closure of SH6 between Queenstown and Kawarau Gorge early on the morning of the 7th. The road was re-opened that evening.
Heavy winds knocked down power poles on SH6.
On the 8th, there was a short blast of severe southwesterley gales around the southeastern coasts, including Dunedin.
Maritime / Coastal
Winds whipped up the sea off the Otago coast.
The winds lifted roof tiles, felled trees and wrecked fences.
Multi Hazard
A southerly front brought rain, hail, sleet and snow flurries to many areas of Otago at the weekend.
The weather resulted in several minor road crashes.
On the 8th, the following roads were affected by snow, ice and/or high winds: SH94 between Mossburn and Te Anau and the Milford Rd, the Crown Range, and SH6 between Cromwell and Arrow Junction.
Snow / Ice
On the 8th, roads around Central Otago and Dunedin were described as atrocious, with three or four snow flurries on top of ice. SH87 between Outram and Middlemarch and SH85 at Kyeburn were closed due to snow. There was a severe black-ice warning in place on SH85 from Ranfurly to Alexandra. SH87 between Outram and Middlemarch was reopened at 8am on the 9th.
Snowfalls eased in eastern Otago early on the 8th, leaving light snow on the ground. Most had thawed by mid-afternoon. Much of the snow in the district had melted by mid-morning on the 9th.
Snow / Ice
at
Alexandra
Snow fell in Alexandra on the 8th.
Heavy Rain
at
Coronet Peak Ski Field
Coronet Peak had 12 hours of rain overnight on the 6th.
Multi Hazard
Coronet Peak Skifield was closed on the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunedin
Snow fell in Dunedin on the 7th.
The cold snap brought late night traffic in Dunedin to a snail's pace. Three-mile Hill was closed by snow for the morning of the 8th.
The storm left revellers trapped at a hillside costume party.
There were several snow or ice-related minor crashes in the hill suburbs of Dunedin on the morning of the 8th, but no injuries were reported.
On the morning of the 8th there was up to 10 cm of snow in higher parts of Dunedin, and less lying in the Balclutha and Waitaki districts.
High Wind / Gust
There were gusts of over 130 km/hr around Dunedin on the 8th.
At Dunedin, the average wind speed recorded at 4:43pm on the 8th was 53 km/hr, with gusts up to 100 km/hr.
Snow / Ice
at
Maniototo Plain
The Maniototo experienced the heaviest snowfalls, with up to 20 cm lying on the morning of the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Millers Flat
A thin layer of snow fell in Millers Flat overnight and turned to ice, making driving dangerous on the 8th.
Multi Hazard
at
Queenstown
High winds and low cloud delayed or cancelled flights to and from Queenstown Airport on the 7th. Seven flights were cancelled and about 1000 passengers affected. One Air New Zealand flight from Christchurch to Queenstown was cancelled on the afternoon of the 7th because of poor weather. A number of flights were also affected on the morning of the 8th after snow overnight combined with freezing temperatures, leaving ice on the runway.
Snow / Ice
Snow fell in Queenstown on the 8th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Taiaroa Head
At Taiaroa Head, the average speed of the westerly winds at 4:20pm on the 8th was of 79 km/hr.
Taiaroa Head recorded gusts up to 144 km/hr on the 8th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Taieri Plain
Cross-winds battered the Taieri Plains late on the morning of the 8th.
Southland
Multi Hazard
at
Southland
Southland was hit by a blast of very cold air, bringing hail, squally showers and low-level snow from around midnight on the 6th.
Snow / Ice
Snowfalls eased in Southland early on the 8th.
A severe black-ice warning was in place on SH94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound on the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Athol
Snow fell in Athol on the 8th.
An Athol resident said there was 6 cm of snow outside on the morning of the 8th.
Multi Hazard
at
Bluecliffs Beach
Bluecliffs Beach Rd was closed at the weekend after a battering by the storm on the night of the 6th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Gore
Gore received gusts of 110 km/hr on the 6th.
Multi Hazard
at
Invercargill
A daytime temperature of 3 degC was recorded in Invercargill on the 7th.
Lightning
There were thunderstorms in Invercargill on the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Lumsden
Snow fell in Lumsden.
Snow / Ice
at
Milford Sound
Milford Sound reached a maximum temperature of 6 degC on the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Mossburn
Snow fell in Mossburn.
Snow / Ice
at
Nightcaps
Snow fell in Nightcaps.
Snow / Ice
at
Winton
Snow fell in Winton.
Stewart Island
High Wind / Gust
at
Stewart Island
Stewart Island recorded gusts of more than 150 km/hr.
References
- Headline: Mid Canterbury 'picture perfect'.
- www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz, 11 June 2008.
- Headline: I'll have a cold one.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Snow hits South Island.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Marlborough Express, 7 June 2008.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). (2008). Climate summary for Winter 2008. Newsletter 114, September 2008. 9-10
- MetService Severe Weather Email Lists.
- Headline: Setback to skifield's opening.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 June 2008, 15:12pm.
- Headline: Snow blankets Canterbury region.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 June 2008, 16:24pm.
- Headline: Snow closes roads.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 June 2008, 17:12pm.
- Headline: Snow in the South.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 June 2008, 18:28pm.
- Headline: Cold snap moves north.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 8 June 2008, 7:12am.
- Headline: Beautiful, dangerous snow.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 8 June 2008, 13:16pm.
- Headline: Snow falls spread to Canterbury as wintry blast hits.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, Newstalk ZB, 7 June 2008.
- Headline: City misses worst of cold snap.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 8 June 2008.
- Headline: Harbour cruise sparks rescue call.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Snow and wind take their toll.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Snow, ice melt away.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 10 June 2008.
- Headline: Black-ice warning across South Island.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Chilly white blanket covers region.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Low brings on the jitters.
- mediaintelligence.co.nz/Portal, Source: The Press, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Winter arrives with a vengeance.
- www.radionz.co.nz, Source: Radio New Zealand News, 7 June 2008, 9:41am.
- Headline: Bad weather disrupts hundreds of travellers.
- www.radionz.co.nz, Source: Radio New Zealand News, 8 June 2008, 12:21pm.
- Headline: Travellers stranded by winter chill.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 8 June 2008.
- Headline: Bluecliffs Beach road closed by stormy weather.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Winter roars into the south with snow, high winds.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Snow sparks panic.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Timaru Herald, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Cold snap brings first wave of snow to the South Island.
- www.tv3.co.nz, 8 June 2008, 6:29pm.
- Headline: Icy blast this lower south.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 7 June 2008, 6:10pm.
- Headline: Cold snap moves north.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB, 8 June 2008, 8:10am.
- Headline: Snow havoc on southern roads.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 8 June 2008, 6:36pm.
June 2008 New Zealand Snow
(
2008-06-06
)
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 6th till the 9th of June.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 10:50 am 05-Jun-2008: Severe gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury late Friday. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Southland, Otago and Canterbury.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:57 pm 05-Jun-2008: Severe gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury late Friday. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Southland, Otago and Canterbury south of Mt Hutt.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:16 am 06-Jun-2008: Severe gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury late Friday. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Southland, Otago and Canterbury south of Mt Hutt.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 11:22 am 06-Jun-2008: Severe gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury late Friday. Heavy snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago including the Catlins. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Southland, Otago and Canterbury south of Mt Hutt; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: the ranges of Southland and eastern Otago, including the Catlins.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 5:32 pm 06-Jun-2008: Severe westerly gales forecast from Southland to Wairarapa and Wellington, heavy rain on the West Coast and snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland and the ranges of Westland as far north as Otira; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough, Wairarapa and Wellington; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges and Southland and eastern Otago especially the Catlins area.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:39 pm 06-Jun-2008: Severe westerly gales from Southland to Wairarapa and Wellington, heavy rain on the West Coast and snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland and the ranges of Westland as far north as Otira; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough, Wairarapa and Wellington; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and eastern Otago especially the Catlins area.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:34 am 07-Jun-2008: Severe westerly gales forecast for Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa. Heavy rain in the Westland ranges. Snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: the ranges of Westland as far north as Otira; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa especially the summit of the Rimutaka Road; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and eastern Otago especially the Catlins area. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for Fiordland; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for Otago, Southland and Canterbury.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 11:30 am 07-Jun-2008: Burst of heavy rain for the Tararuas, also the hill country west and southwest of Lake Taupo, including Taumarunui and Waitomo. Severe westerly gales for Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa. Snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: the ranges of Westland as far north as Otira, the Tararuas, also the Central North Island ranges west and southwest of Lake Taupo, including Taumarunui and Waitomo; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa especially the summit of the Rimutaka Road; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and eastern Otago especially the Catlins.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 5:45 pm 07-Jun-2008: Burst of heavy rain for the Tararuas, also the hill country west and southwest of Lake Taupo, including Taumarunui and Waitomo. Severe westerly gales for Wellington and Wairarapa easing. Snow for hilly parts of Southland and eastern Otago. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Tararua Ranges and the hilly country west and southwest of Lake Taupo from Waitomo and Taumarunui to Taihape including the headwaters of the Whanganui river and Tongariro National Park; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Wellington and Wairarapa especially near the ranges and about the hilltops; and HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and Otago especially the Catlins. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for ranges of Westland as far north as Otira; Strong Wind Warnings lifted for exposed areas of Marlborough.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:30 pm 07-Jun-2008: Heavy rain for the hill country west and southwest of Lake Taupo overnight Saturday but easing in the Tararua ranges. Snow showers for Southland and eastern Otago until about dawn on Sunday. Severe southwest gales from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula later on Sunday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: hilly country west and southwest of Lake Taupo from Waitomo and Taumarunui to Taihape including the headwaters of the Whanganui river and Tongariro National Park; HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: hills and ranges of Southland and Otago especially the Catlins; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warning lifted for Tararua Ranges; Strong Wind Warnings lifted for exposed areas of Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:50 am 08-Jun-2008: Front with rain has moved off to the northeast of the North Island and freezing levels are expected to rise over southern New Zealand. Spell of severe southwest gales about the coast from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula from this afternoon. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for hilly country west and southwest of Lake Taupo from Waitomo and Taumarunui to Taihape including headwaters of the Whanganui River and Tongariro National Park; Heavy Snowfall Warnings lifted for hills and ranges of Southland and Otago especially the Catlins.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:53 pm 08-Jun-2008: Severe southwest gales about the coast from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula expected to ease tonight, but may return for a time during Monday morning or early afternoon. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:22 am 09-Jun-2008: Another spell of severe southwest gales expected in exposed places from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula today. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed places from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 5:40 pm 09-Jun-2008: Strong southwesterlies in exposed places from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula continuing to ease and are no longer expected to reach severe gale. Hence, the warning for this area is lifted. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Strong Wind Warnings lifted for exposed places from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula.
A series of cold fronts crossed New Zealand, bringing a very cold southerly outbreak. During the 6th, a west to northwest flow strenthened over the South Island. The conditions spread over the North Island overnight and into the 7th. A cold front moved onto the South Island on the 7th, followed by much colder southwesterlies. Undercutting cold air delivered heavier snowfalls in Canterbury. The cold front and southerly change moved into the North Island during the evening. During the 8th, the flow turned more west to southwest. Another cold front clipped the South Island later in the day, with a short blast of southwesterley gales.
High Wind / Gust
A storm from the Southern Ocean brought hurricane-force winds and rain to parts of the South Island and lower North Island on the night of the 6th. The severe north-westerly winds began easing on the morning of the 7th. The cold front weakened on the 8th and winds eased in most places.
North Island
Heavy Rain
at
North Island
The Tararua Range received an estimated 120 mm (12 cm) of rain in about 9 hours on the 7th.
Heavy showers fell over western and central parts of the North Island on the night of the 7th.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Snow / Ice
at
Desert Road
SH1 through the Desert Rd was closed on the 8th because of snow and ice at Aquaduct Hill, south of the summit.
Snow / Ice
at
Waiouru
Waiouru had snow overnight on the 7th.
On the 8th Waiouru only reached a maximum of 3 degC.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
Wellington was hit by strong southerlies and driving rain on the evening of the 7th.
High Wind / Gust
High winds in the Wellington hills dropped back to about 100 km/hr on the afternoon of the 7th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Castle Point
Castle Point recorded gusts of more than 150 km/hr.
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington City
In three hours on the 7th the temperature dropped eight degrees, from 13 degC at 6pm to 5 degC at 9pm. The wind chill made it feel as if it were -1 degC.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Wellington Harbour
Wellington harbour was reported to be rough and boisterous.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
A strong southerly front brought heavy winds, showers and snow to many parts of the South Island. The front was over northern Westland and North Canterbury by the evening of the 7th, with rain and snow settling in.
Snow, hail and sleet made driving conditions dangerous in Southland, Otago and Canterbury. Road conditions remained treacherous on the 8th due to ice.
Power was cut to about 500 homes on the night of the 7th. The worst affected homes lost power for seven hours but most were reconnected in a couple of hours.
Snow / Ice
Snow fell in many areas of the South Island on the 7th. Snow fell to near sea level from Southland to the Kaikoura Coast. On the 8th, snow fell across Otago and Southland from Queenstown to Clinton.
High Wind / Gust
120 km/hr winds whipped up 5m swells along the southern coast on the afternoon of the 8th.
Canterbury
Snow / Ice
at
Canterbury
Snow fell to sea level in Canterbury on the 7th. Heavy snow fell in South Canterbury, then spread across inland Canterbury to Christchurch. There was a solid white covering over much of Mid Canterbury west of Ashburton on the morning of the 8th. Light snow across Mid and South Canterbury began clearing.
Several Canterbury roads were closed on the 7th because of snow. Governor's Pass road on Banks Peninsula was completely closed and Summit Road from Mount Pleasant to Gebbies Pass was closed. On the 8th, roads in Canterbury were icy after the snow and several remained closed. The inland road between Waiau and Kaikoura was closed until further notice. Driving was hazardous on roads between Waipara and Cheviot and around Hanmer and Waiau. Late on the afternoon of the 8th, Port Hills Summit Rd was closed until further notice. On the 9th, severe black-ice warnings were in place on SH1 from Rakaia to St Andrews and SH8 from Omarama to Tarras.
It snowed heavily in inland Canterbury, about 20km west of Christchurch and heavy snow fell between Porters and Arthur's Passes.
In some places snow exceeded a depth of 13 cm on the 7th.
The MetService recorded a snowfall of between 2 cm and 6 cm in lowland Canterbury, with a little more on the foothills. Snow settled up to 10 cm deep across parts of the Canterbury Plains on the afternoon of the 7th.
Nearly 20 cm snow fell around the alpine passes and Canterbury Plains.
Canterbury had more snow than Otago and Southland because the winds were stronger further south.
Temperatures in Mid Canterbury struggled to get above 0 degrees on the morning of the 8th.
Multi Hazard
Heavy falls of snow gave way to southerly rain late on the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Ashburton
About 5cm of snow fell in Ashburton.
Ashburton reached a maximum temperature of 6degC on the 8th.
Multi Hazard
at
Christchurch
Despite cold conditions, the night of the 6th was the warmest overnight low on record in Christchurch (15.7 degrees) due to north-westerlys.
Rain and sleet fell in Christchurch on the morning of the 7th.
Snow / Ice
A cold southerly change at lunchtime brought snow to Christchurch. The city was described as a winter wonderland with a whiteout on the ground and cars covered in snow.
Christchurch Airport was closed from 5:20pm-7:50pm on the 7th. Snow forced Air New Zealand to cancel eight domestic and two international flights, including flights to and from Auckland, Nelson and Wellington, and also Sydney and Brisbane. More than 1000 passengers had to be re-booked. Pacific Blue was also forced to cancel a flight to Brisbane. On the 8th, the airport had delays most of the morning due to the need to remove snow and ice layers. One service was delayed 90 minutes.
There were several centimetres of snow in western parts of Christchurch.
About 5 cm of snow fell on the Christchurch airport runway from about 4pm on the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Darfield
Snow made driving difficult in parts of Darfield.
Snow / Ice
at
Dry Creek station
At Dry Creek Station, at the headwaters of the Orari River, there was 7 cm of snow on the ground.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunsandel
There was snow a couple of inches deep on the ground in Dunsandel.
Snow / Ice
at
Fairlie
5-7cm of snow fell in and around Fairlie on the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Geraldine
About 5 cm of snow fell in Geraldine.
Snow / Ice
at
Greta Valley
There was heavy snow on SH1 in Greta Valley as far north as Cheviot.
A truck jack-knifed on SH1 in the Greta Valley on the 7th, causing a large traffic jam. At one point about 300 cars were stuck on either side. On the 8th, work continued on SH1 at Greta Valley to clear two trucks in the northern lane which came to grief because of ice. Traffic was backed up some way. The road was not completely reopened until 9:50am on the 8th. Several cars slipped off SH1 in icy conditions in Greta Valley on 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Hanmer Springs
Snow fell in Hanmer Springs on the night of the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Kaikoura
There was 15 cm of snow on the inland Kaikoura road above 500m.
Snow / Ice
at
Methven
Electricity Asburton's linesmen dealt with a few minor problems in the Methven area on the weekend.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Dobson Skifield
Mt Dobson reported 10 cm of snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Hutt
Mt Hutt received 25-30 cm of snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Somers
There was 20 cm of snow on Mt Somers above 600m.
Snow / Ice
at
Ohau Skifield
Ohau reported 10 cm of snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Porters Pass
About 50 motorists were stranded in Porters Pass for several hours on the 7th after cars without chains blocked the road. SH73 was finally closed at 6pm.
Snow / Ice
at
Rangiora
There was snow a couple of inches deep on the ground in Rangiora.
Snow / Ice
at
Timaru
Heavy snow fell to sea level in Timaru for several hours on the 7th.
Up to 13 cm of snow was reported in places in Timaru. There was 5 cm of snow on the ground late on the 7th and still a light covering on the 8th.
Otago
High Wind / Gust
at
Otago
Damaging strong winds forced the closure of SH6 between Queenstown and Kawarau Gorge early on the morning of the 7th. The road was re-opened that evening.
Heavy winds knocked down power poles on SH6.
On the 8th, there was a short blast of severe southwesterley gales around the southeastern coasts, including Dunedin.
Maritime / Coastal
Winds whipped up the sea off the Otago coast.
The winds lifted roof tiles, felled trees and wrecked fences.
Multi Hazard
A southerly front brought rain, hail, sleet and snow flurries to many areas of Otago at the weekend.
The weather resulted in several minor road crashes.
On the 8th, the following roads were affected by snow, ice and/or high winds: SH94 between Mossburn and Te Anau and the Milford Rd, the Crown Range, and SH6 between Cromwell and Arrow Junction.
Snow / Ice
On the 8th, roads around Central Otago and Dunedin were described as atrocious, with three or four snow flurries on top of ice. SH87 between Outram and Middlemarch and SH85 at Kyeburn were closed due to snow. There was a severe black-ice warning in place on SH85 from Ranfurly to Alexandra. SH87 between Outram and Middlemarch was reopened at 8am on the 9th.
Snowfalls eased in eastern Otago early on the 8th, leaving light snow on the ground. Most had thawed by mid-afternoon. Much of the snow in the district had melted by mid-morning on the 9th.
Snow / Ice
at
Alexandra
Snow fell in Alexandra on the 8th.
Heavy Rain
at
Coronet Peak Ski Field
Coronet Peak had 12 hours of rain overnight on the 6th.
Multi Hazard
Coronet Peak Skifield was closed on the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunedin
Snow fell in Dunedin on the 7th.
The cold snap brought late night traffic in Dunedin to a snail's pace. Three-mile Hill was closed by snow for the morning of the 8th.
The storm left revellers trapped at a hillside costume party.
There were several snow or ice-related minor crashes in the hill suburbs of Dunedin on the morning of the 8th, but no injuries were reported.
On the morning of the 8th there was up to 10 cm of snow in higher parts of Dunedin, and less lying in the Balclutha and Waitaki districts.
High Wind / Gust
There were gusts of over 130 km/hr around Dunedin on the 8th.
At Dunedin, the average wind speed recorded at 4:43pm on the 8th was 53 km/hr, with gusts up to 100 km/hr.
Snow / Ice
at
Maniototo Plain
The Maniototo experienced the heaviest snowfalls, with up to 20 cm lying on the morning of the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Millers Flat
A thin layer of snow fell in Millers Flat overnight and turned to ice, making driving dangerous on the 8th.
Multi Hazard
at
Queenstown
High winds and low cloud delayed or cancelled flights to and from Queenstown Airport on the 7th. Seven flights were cancelled and about 1000 passengers affected. One Air New Zealand flight from Christchurch to Queenstown was cancelled on the afternoon of the 7th because of poor weather. A number of flights were also affected on the morning of the 8th after snow overnight combined with freezing temperatures, leaving ice on the runway.
Snow / Ice
Snow fell in Queenstown on the 8th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Taiaroa Head
At Taiaroa Head, the average speed of the westerly winds at 4:20pm on the 8th was of 79 km/hr.
Taiaroa Head recorded gusts up to 144 km/hr on the 8th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Taieri Plain
Cross-winds battered the Taieri Plains late on the morning of the 8th.
Southland
Multi Hazard
at
Southland
Southland was hit by a blast of very cold air, bringing hail, squally showers and low-level snow from around midnight on the 6th.
Snow / Ice
Snowfalls eased in Southland early on the 8th.
A severe black-ice warning was in place on SH94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound on the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Athol
Snow fell in Athol on the 8th.
An Athol resident said there was 6 cm of snow outside on the morning of the 8th.
Multi Hazard
at
Bluecliffs Beach
Bluecliffs Beach Rd was closed at the weekend after a battering by the storm on the night of the 6th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Gore
Gore received gusts of 110 km/hr on the 6th.
Multi Hazard
at
Invercargill
A daytime temperature of 3 degC was recorded in Invercargill on the 7th.
Lightning
There were thunderstorms in Invercargill on the 7th.
Snow / Ice
at
Lumsden
Snow fell in Lumsden.
Snow / Ice
at
Milford Sound
Milford Sound reached a maximum temperature of 6 degC on the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Mossburn
Snow fell in Mossburn.
Snow / Ice
at
Nightcaps
Snow fell in Nightcaps.
Snow / Ice
at
Winton
Snow fell in Winton.
Stewart Island
High Wind / Gust
at
Stewart Island
Stewart Island recorded gusts of more than 150 km/hr.
References
- Headline: Mid Canterbury 'picture perfect'.
- www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz, 11 June 2008.
- Headline: I'll have a cold one.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Snow hits South Island.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Marlborough Express, 7 June 2008.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). (2008). Climate summary for Winter 2008. Newsletter 114, September 2008. 9-10
- MetService Severe Weather Email Lists.
- Headline: Setback to skifield's opening.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 June 2008, 15:12pm.
- Headline: Snow blankets Canterbury region.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 June 2008, 16:24pm.
- Headline: Snow closes roads.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 June 2008, 17:12pm.
- Headline: Snow in the South.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 7 June 2008, 18:28pm.
- Headline: Cold snap moves north.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 8 June 2008, 7:12am.
- Headline: Beautiful, dangerous snow.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 8 June 2008, 13:16pm.
- Headline: Snow falls spread to Canterbury as wintry blast hits.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, Newstalk ZB, 7 June 2008.
- Headline: City misses worst of cold snap.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 8 June 2008.
- Headline: Harbour cruise sparks rescue call.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Snow and wind take their toll.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Snow, ice melt away.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Otago Daily Times, 10 June 2008.
- Headline: Black-ice warning across South Island.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Chilly white blanket covers region.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Low brings on the jitters.
- mediaintelligence.co.nz/Portal, Source: The Press, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Winter arrives with a vengeance.
- www.radionz.co.nz, Source: Radio New Zealand News, 7 June 2008, 9:41am.
- Headline: Bad weather disrupts hundreds of travellers.
- www.radionz.co.nz, Source: Radio New Zealand News, 8 June 2008, 12:21pm.
- Headline: Travellers stranded by winter chill.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 8 June 2008.
- Headline: Bluecliffs Beach road closed by stormy weather.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Winter roars into the south with snow, high winds.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Snow sparks panic.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Timaru Herald, 9 June 2008.
- Headline: Cold snap brings first wave of snow to the South Island.
- www.tv3.co.nz, 8 June 2008, 6:29pm.
- Headline: Icy blast this lower south.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 7 June 2008, 6:10pm.
- Headline: Cold snap moves north.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB, 8 June 2008, 8:10am.
- Headline: Snow havoc on southern roads.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 8 June 2008, 6:36pm.