NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
March 1978 South Island Flooding
(
1978-03-26
)
Heavy rain caused flooding in Haast. Trampers were stranded at Copland Pass and one climber drowned in the Murchison River.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 4 days - From the 26th to the 29th of March.
West Coast
Multi Hazard
at
West Coast
Two active frontal systems passed over the West Coast. At midnight on the 26th, the first front was over Fiordland, the second front lay attached to a wave depression in the mid Tasman Sea. Close to the second front, a ship was reporting thunderstorms. The first front stalled briefly over northern Fiordland, and was caught up by the second. In latitudes of Northland, the same ship, was moving eastwards with the front, and was till reporting thunderstorms - active convection was a feature. A northwest jet was extending from central Tasman Sea to an area south of the South Island and a very weak short wave trough was in the eastern Tasman Sea.
Upper level divergence assisted frontal uplift. CVA associated with short wave trough seen in eastern Tasman was also a factor. The 500 hPa trough over eastern Australia at midnight on the 26th weakened as it crossed Tasman Sea, and moved over Westland early on the 29th. The flow turned to the northwest again quite quickly, and another pair of fronts crossed the area on the 28th, adding more moisture to already very wet catchments.
Flooding
at
Fox River
A family of four was rescued from the north bank of the Fox River.
Flooding
at
Franz Josef
Waiho River broke its banks at Caravans Knob.
Four families (approximately 16 people) were evacuated from Canavans Knob near the glacier. Two of the famillies were lifted out by helicopters from their homes and two families were taken out by car.
The the roads to the glacier were closed.
Okuru motor camp was evacuated.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 3.5 in (8.89 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
The railcar from Greymouth to Christchurch was cancelled.
There was surface flooding in parts of Greymouth.
Heavy Rain
at
Haast
Haast recorded 610 mm (61.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours to 9am on the 27th (which has a return period of well over 150 years).
Flooding
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared on the 27th. It was lifted at 7pm.
Torrential rain was produced within a cold front.
All rivers were in high flood.
Powerlines were damaged at Haast Power Station.
The main concern for emergency personnel was accounting for approximately 500 trampers in the area over Easter.
Two people were rescued by helicopter from the Spasm Creek Hut.
Rivers, swollen by floodwaters, broke their banks.
The southern motorway was closed.
Telephone communications were cut between Haast and Fox Glacier.
The force of water broke through the sandbars to the sea.
State Highway 73 was closed.
Many people were evacuated by helicopter.
Landslide
Haast was isolated by slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Reefton
There was heavy rain in Reefton.
Flooding
Inangahua River broke its banks.
Canterbury
Flooding
at
Copland Pass
An unconcious tramper was lifted out from from Douglas hut and there was a furthur 22 people stranded in the hut. 60 people were stranded at Welcome Flat Hut.
Flooding
at
Murchison River
A climber drowned in Murchison River, Canterbury.
Southland
Heavy Rain
at
Fiordland
Fiordland recorded 500 mm (50.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 27th.
The catastrophic rain brought chaos to Fiordland.
References
- Ben, J.L. (1990). A Chronology of Flooding on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand 1846-1990.
- Headline: Civil Defence Declarations since 1 January 1963.
- Declared Civil Defence Emergencies,
- Meteorological Observations for 1978, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, and stations in Cook Islands, Kingdom of Tonga, Western Samoa, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Gilbert Islands (Kirabati), Niue Island, and Line Island. New Zealand Meteorological Service.
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Emergency Situation In South.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 28 March 1978.
- Headline: South Westland Bears Brunt, Easter Floods, Swamping Coast.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 28 march 1978.
- The Southland Times, Invercargill, Thursday, January 1, 1970 - Monday, December 31, 1979, Special souvenir edition, A century of news, p. 13.
March 1978 South Island Flooding
(
1978-03-26
)
Heavy rain caused flooding in Haast. Trampers were stranded at Copland Pass and one climber drowned in the Murchison River.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 4 days - From the 26th to the 29th of March.
West Coast
Multi Hazard
at
West Coast
Two active frontal systems passed over the West Coast. At midnight on the 26th, the first front was over Fiordland, the second front lay attached to a wave depression in the mid Tasman Sea. Close to the second front, a ship was reporting thunderstorms. The first front stalled briefly over northern Fiordland, and was caught up by the second. In latitudes of Northland, the same ship, was moving eastwards with the front, and was till reporting thunderstorms - active convection was a feature. A northwest jet was extending from central Tasman Sea to an area south of the South Island and a very weak short wave trough was in the eastern Tasman Sea.
Upper level divergence assisted frontal uplift. CVA associated with short wave trough seen in eastern Tasman was also a factor. The 500 hPa trough over eastern Australia at midnight on the 26th weakened as it crossed Tasman Sea, and moved over Westland early on the 29th. The flow turned to the northwest again quite quickly, and another pair of fronts crossed the area on the 28th, adding more moisture to already very wet catchments.
Flooding
at
Fox River
A family of four was rescued from the north bank of the Fox River.
Flooding
at
Franz Josef
Waiho River broke its banks at Caravans Knob.
Four families (approximately 16 people) were evacuated from Canavans Knob near the glacier. Two of the famillies were lifted out by helicopters from their homes and two families were taken out by car.
The the roads to the glacier were closed.
Okuru motor camp was evacuated.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 3.5 in (8.89 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
The railcar from Greymouth to Christchurch was cancelled.
There was surface flooding in parts of Greymouth.
Heavy Rain
at
Haast
Haast recorded 610 mm (61.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours to 9am on the 27th (which has a return period of well over 150 years).
Flooding
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared on the 27th. It was lifted at 7pm.
Torrential rain was produced within a cold front.
All rivers were in high flood.
Powerlines were damaged at Haast Power Station.
The main concern for emergency personnel was accounting for approximately 500 trampers in the area over Easter.
Two people were rescued by helicopter from the Spasm Creek Hut.
Rivers, swollen by floodwaters, broke their banks.
The southern motorway was closed.
Telephone communications were cut between Haast and Fox Glacier.
The force of water broke through the sandbars to the sea.
State Highway 73 was closed.
Many people were evacuated by helicopter.
Landslide
Haast was isolated by slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Reefton
There was heavy rain in Reefton.
Flooding
Inangahua River broke its banks.
Canterbury
Flooding
at
Copland Pass
An unconcious tramper was lifted out from from Douglas hut and there was a furthur 22 people stranded in the hut. 60 people were stranded at Welcome Flat Hut.
Flooding
at
Murchison River
A climber drowned in Murchison River, Canterbury.
Southland
Heavy Rain
at
Fiordland
Fiordland recorded 500 mm (50.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 27th.
The catastrophic rain brought chaos to Fiordland.
References
- Ben, J.L. (1990). A Chronology of Flooding on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand 1846-1990.
- Headline: Civil Defence Declarations since 1 January 1963.
- Declared Civil Defence Emergencies,
- Meteorological Observations for 1978, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, and stations in Cook Islands, Kingdom of Tonga, Western Samoa, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Gilbert Islands (Kirabati), Niue Island, and Line Island. New Zealand Meteorological Service.
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Emergency Situation In South.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 28 March 1978.
- Headline: South Westland Bears Brunt, Easter Floods, Swamping Coast.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 28 march 1978.
- The Southland Times, Invercargill, Thursday, January 1, 1970 - Monday, December 31, 1979, Special souvenir edition, A century of news, p. 13.