NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
March 1982 West Coast Flooding
(
1982-03-10
)
100 years
Unusually high rainfalls in the Fox Glacier and the Franz Josef area cause severe flooding in South Westland.
West Coast
Multi Hazard
at
West Coast
The cause was a rather atypical West Coast heavy rain situation, which usually involves a strong northwest flow. Firstly, a front became slow moving over an area for a time. Blocking therefore was a significant factor. The more significant clue though, is connection of the front to the low between Queensland and New Caledonia. A nephanalysis done at this time depicted a broad frontal zone extending from this low and down over the South Island. Humid air from the subtropics was rising through the atmosphere as it moved towards New Zealand, the so-called “warm conveyor belt” - thus creating a broad and active band of cloud. With a trajectory from such low latitudes, this activity was unusually intense. 500 hPa chart confirms that air was being dragged from very low latitudes.
From the 10th to the 12th of March.
Heavy Rain
at
South Westland
Areas in South Westland recorded 350 mm (35.0 cm) of rain in 13 hours from 5pm on the 11th to 6am on the 12th.
Areas in South Westland recorded up to 500 mm (50.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
There were 100-year floods in the Waiho, Whataroia, Paringa and Wanganui River and a 50-year flood in Waitangi-taona River.
There were thousands of ewes and lambs lost in the flood.
In the Westland County area, roads, buildings, fences and pastures were badly damaged or destroyed.
Flood damage in South Westland exceeded $2,000,000 with $700,000 needed to repair river works in the Waiho, Cook, Whataroa and Jacob rivers and Docherty's Creek.
Entire communities were cut off.
Roads were closed.
Numerous bridges were swept away.
It was one of the worst floods in living memory.
Over half the 150 metre Waitangi-Taona bridge was destroyed as the river burst its banks and swept away three spans and a pier.
Much of South Westland was without power including Whataroa and Franz Josef.
Over 500 tourists were stranded.
State Highway 6 was closed in 11 different places between Harihari and Haast Pass.
The road was closed at Kiwi Jacks culvert.
The north approach to the Fox River bridge and the south approach to the the Cook River bridge was washed out.
The damage throughout South Westland was extreme and widespread.
Half of the ten year old Waitangi-taona River Bridge was destoyed.
Heavy Rain
at
Alex Knob
Alex Knob recorded 1810 mm (181.0 cm) of rain in three days (which had a return period of over 150 years).
The three day rainfall is a New Zealand record.
Flooding
at
Fox Glacier
Five coaches were stranded at Fox Glacier.
15m of highway was washed away between Haast and Fox Glacier.
The approaches to Fox River were eroded.
Heavy Rain
at
Franz Josef
Franz Josef recorded 350 mm (35.0 cm) of rain in 13 hours.
Franz Josef recorded 650 mm (65.0 cm) of rain in three days but the rain gauge overflowed.
Flooding
It was completely cut off and seven coaches were marooned in Franz Josef.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 18.44 mm (1.84 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Harihari
Telephone and power links south of Harihari were severed.
Heavy Rain
at
Hokitika
Five days of wet weather, including a torrential rainstorm, caused severe flooding in all rivers south of Hokitika.
Flooding
Numerous small bridges were damaged or destroyed.
Flooding
at
Lake Wahapo
State Highway 6 was under 3 ft (0.91 m) of water.
Flooding
at
Waiho River
Waiho River burst its banks.
The Waiho River broke through the protection works, south of Canvas Knob, on the 12th.
Flooding
at
Whataroa
Telephone lines were cut to the area south of Whataroa.
References
- Ben, J.L. (1990). A Chronology of Flooding on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand 1846-1990.
- 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.
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: 100 Year Flood Wreaks South Westland Havoc.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 12 March 1982.
- Headline: Aftermath Of Floods In Sth Westland.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1982.
- Headline: Hundreds Stranded Still But 'Phone To Franz Restored.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1982.
March 1982 West Coast Flooding
(
1982-03-10
)
100 years
Unusually high rainfalls in the Fox Glacier and the Franz Josef area cause severe flooding in South Westland.
West Coast
Multi Hazard
at
West Coast
The cause was a rather atypical West Coast heavy rain situation, which usually involves a strong northwest flow. Firstly, a front became slow moving over an area for a time. Blocking therefore was a significant factor. The more significant clue though, is connection of the front to the low between Queensland and New Caledonia. A nephanalysis done at this time depicted a broad frontal zone extending from this low and down over the South Island. Humid air from the subtropics was rising through the atmosphere as it moved towards New Zealand, the so-called “warm conveyor belt” - thus creating a broad and active band of cloud. With a trajectory from such low latitudes, this activity was unusually intense. 500 hPa chart confirms that air was being dragged from very low latitudes.
From the 10th to the 12th of March.
Heavy Rain
at
South Westland
Areas in South Westland recorded 350 mm (35.0 cm) of rain in 13 hours from 5pm on the 11th to 6am on the 12th.
Areas in South Westland recorded up to 500 mm (50.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
There were 100-year floods in the Waiho, Whataroia, Paringa and Wanganui River and a 50-year flood in Waitangi-taona River.
There were thousands of ewes and lambs lost in the flood.
In the Westland County area, roads, buildings, fences and pastures were badly damaged or destroyed.
Flood damage in South Westland exceeded $2,000,000 with $700,000 needed to repair river works in the Waiho, Cook, Whataroa and Jacob rivers and Docherty's Creek.
Entire communities were cut off.
Roads were closed.
Numerous bridges were swept away.
It was one of the worst floods in living memory.
Over half the 150 metre Waitangi-Taona bridge was destroyed as the river burst its banks and swept away three spans and a pier.
Much of South Westland was without power including Whataroa and Franz Josef.
Over 500 tourists were stranded.
State Highway 6 was closed in 11 different places between Harihari and Haast Pass.
The road was closed at Kiwi Jacks culvert.
The north approach to the Fox River bridge and the south approach to the the Cook River bridge was washed out.
The damage throughout South Westland was extreme and widespread.
Half of the ten year old Waitangi-taona River Bridge was destoyed.
Heavy Rain
at
Alex Knob
Alex Knob recorded 1810 mm (181.0 cm) of rain in three days (which had a return period of over 150 years).
The three day rainfall is a New Zealand record.
Flooding
at
Fox Glacier
Five coaches were stranded at Fox Glacier.
15m of highway was washed away between Haast and Fox Glacier.
The approaches to Fox River were eroded.
Heavy Rain
at
Franz Josef
Franz Josef recorded 350 mm (35.0 cm) of rain in 13 hours.
Franz Josef recorded 650 mm (65.0 cm) of rain in three days but the rain gauge overflowed.
Flooding
It was completely cut off and seven coaches were marooned in Franz Josef.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 18.44 mm (1.84 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Harihari
Telephone and power links south of Harihari were severed.
Heavy Rain
at
Hokitika
Five days of wet weather, including a torrential rainstorm, caused severe flooding in all rivers south of Hokitika.
Flooding
Numerous small bridges were damaged or destroyed.
Flooding
at
Lake Wahapo
State Highway 6 was under 3 ft (0.91 m) of water.
Flooding
at
Waiho River
Waiho River burst its banks.
The Waiho River broke through the protection works, south of Canvas Knob, on the 12th.
Flooding
at
Whataroa
Telephone lines were cut to the area south of Whataroa.
References
- Ben, J.L. (1990). A Chronology of Flooding on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand 1846-1990.
- 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.
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: 100 Year Flood Wreaks South Westland Havoc.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 12 March 1982.
- Headline: Aftermath Of Floods In Sth Westland.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1982.
- Headline: Hundreds Stranded Still But 'Phone To Franz Restored.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1982.