NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
March 2010 Wellington and Marlborough Storm
(
2010-03-12
)
A southerly front moved up the South Island towards Wellington where high winds damaged powerlines and blew trees over roads and railway lines. Wellington was also hit by a tornado.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
The southerly front moved up from Canterbury and Marlborough on the afternoon of the 12th. It brought heavy rain which lasted three hours with thunderstorms and hail in some places. The storm lashed the top of the South Island before hitting Wellington at 4:30pm. The storm rapidly moved up the North Island and hit Hawke's Bay by mid-evening.
A MetService forecaster said the storm was called a strong southerly change, also known as a "southerly buster", which usually hit when warm weather was followed by very cold weather.
Insurance claims for the storm total $1.2 million.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
The storm hit Wellington at 4:30pm on the 12th.
High Wind / Gust
The storm caused chaos on the Kapiti Coast and in Wairarapa when power to thousands of households was knocked out.
Thousands of Upper Hutt and Masterton commuters were stranded when trees fell across the Hutt Valley line at 4:40pm north of Waterloo Station. Passengers were told bus replacements were unlikely to be available on short notice. Train services resumed by 7:30pm on the 12th but there were still some delays.
Multi Hazard
at
Kelburn
When the storm hit Wellington temperatures plummeted from 18.5 degrees Celsius to 8.5 degrees in Kelburn within ten minutes. A similar drop was recorded at the Wellington Airport.
High Wind / Gust
At 4:30pm, wind gusts of up to 130 km/hr were reported in Kelburn.
High Wind / Gust
at
Lower Hutt
In Lower Hutt, trees were down across the city and one fell on a car.
Roofing iron at St Bernard's School blew off and was tossed around the area.
There were no injuries
High Wind / Gust
at
Lyall Bay
Time Cinema at Lyall Bay had a six-by-six metre section blown off its roof.
Heavy Rain
at
Wellington City
Wellington recorded 25 mm (2.5 cm) of rain in just a few hours.
Maritime / Coastal
A mooring rope on the Interislander's Kaitaki ferry was let go as the ship was attempting to berth in Wellington. The ferry's berthing was delayed by about an hour and a tug assisting the berthing.
Seven boats which were sitting on trailers were blown over by strong winds at the Seaview Marina.
A yacht race turned into a rescue mission as 13 boats were caught out in Wellington Harbour and three had to be towed back to shore.
Tornado
A tornado passed through the Wellington suburb of Ngaio.
The tornado ripped roofing off Samuel Marsden Collegiate School in the city's western suburb of Karori.
High Wind / Gust
A shed was destroyed by high winds in the southern suburb of Whiro Bay and debris hit parked cars.
A man who had been directing traffic around downed powerlines on the road north of Wellington suffered an electric shock and was flown to hospital.
Multi Hazard
at
Martinborough
The winds and torrential rain could not have come at a worse time for the wine industry, with grape harvesting beginning this month.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Porirua
A dingy carrying three people capsized due to the weather in Mana Harbour.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International Airport
At 4:30pm, wind gusts of up to 120 km/hr were reported at the Wellington Airport.
Marlborough
Multi Hazard
at
Marlborough
The storm blasted through Marlborough just after 4pm on the 12th.
Marlborough Lines operations manager said power surges had been reported in Ward, Lake Grassmere, Dashwood and Cloudy Bay Industrial Estate.
High Wind / Gust
at
Rarangi
A teenage boy became trapped after a tree fell on him and was flown to Wairau Hospital with leg injuries.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ward
A Ward resident said gusts had reached up to 100 km/hr on his property.
A Ward resident said a gust of wind picked up her childrens trampoline and took it over a fence and into the power line.
Hail
Hail also fell.
References
- Headline: Wild weather blasts central New Zealand.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 12 March 2010.
- Headline: Southerly buster hits Wellington.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 13 March 2010.
- Insurance Council of New Zealand (www.icnz.org.nz/current/weather)
March 2010 Wellington and Marlborough Storm
(
2010-03-12
)
A southerly front moved up the South Island towards Wellington where high winds damaged powerlines and blew trees over roads and railway lines. Wellington was also hit by a tornado.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
The southerly front moved up from Canterbury and Marlborough on the afternoon of the 12th. It brought heavy rain which lasted three hours with thunderstorms and hail in some places. The storm lashed the top of the South Island before hitting Wellington at 4:30pm. The storm rapidly moved up the North Island and hit Hawke's Bay by mid-evening.
A MetService forecaster said the storm was called a strong southerly change, also known as a "southerly buster", which usually hit when warm weather was followed by very cold weather.
Insurance claims for the storm total $1.2 million.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
The storm hit Wellington at 4:30pm on the 12th.
High Wind / Gust
The storm caused chaos on the Kapiti Coast and in Wairarapa when power to thousands of households was knocked out.
Thousands of Upper Hutt and Masterton commuters were stranded when trees fell across the Hutt Valley line at 4:40pm north of Waterloo Station. Passengers were told bus replacements were unlikely to be available on short notice. Train services resumed by 7:30pm on the 12th but there were still some delays.
Multi Hazard
at
Kelburn
When the storm hit Wellington temperatures plummeted from 18.5 degrees Celsius to 8.5 degrees in Kelburn within ten minutes. A similar drop was recorded at the Wellington Airport.
High Wind / Gust
At 4:30pm, wind gusts of up to 130 km/hr were reported in Kelburn.
High Wind / Gust
at
Lower Hutt
In Lower Hutt, trees were down across the city and one fell on a car.
Roofing iron at St Bernard's School blew off and was tossed around the area.
There were no injuries
High Wind / Gust
at
Lyall Bay
Time Cinema at Lyall Bay had a six-by-six metre section blown off its roof.
Heavy Rain
at
Wellington City
Wellington recorded 25 mm (2.5 cm) of rain in just a few hours.
Maritime / Coastal
A mooring rope on the Interislander's Kaitaki ferry was let go as the ship was attempting to berth in Wellington. The ferry's berthing was delayed by about an hour and a tug assisting the berthing.
Seven boats which were sitting on trailers were blown over by strong winds at the Seaview Marina.
A yacht race turned into a rescue mission as 13 boats were caught out in Wellington Harbour and three had to be towed back to shore.
Tornado
A tornado passed through the Wellington suburb of Ngaio.
The tornado ripped roofing off Samuel Marsden Collegiate School in the city's western suburb of Karori.
High Wind / Gust
A shed was destroyed by high winds in the southern suburb of Whiro Bay and debris hit parked cars.
A man who had been directing traffic around downed powerlines on the road north of Wellington suffered an electric shock and was flown to hospital.
Multi Hazard
at
Martinborough
The winds and torrential rain could not have come at a worse time for the wine industry, with grape harvesting beginning this month.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Porirua
A dingy carrying three people capsized due to the weather in Mana Harbour.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International Airport
At 4:30pm, wind gusts of up to 120 km/hr were reported at the Wellington Airport.
Marlborough
Multi Hazard
at
Marlborough
The storm blasted through Marlborough just after 4pm on the 12th.
Marlborough Lines operations manager said power surges had been reported in Ward, Lake Grassmere, Dashwood and Cloudy Bay Industrial Estate.
High Wind / Gust
at
Rarangi
A teenage boy became trapped after a tree fell on him and was flown to Wairau Hospital with leg injuries.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ward
A Ward resident said gusts had reached up to 100 km/hr on his property.
A Ward resident said a gust of wind picked up her childrens trampoline and took it over a fence and into the power line.
Hail
Hail also fell.
References
- Headline: Wild weather blasts central New Zealand.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 12 March 2010.
- Headline: Southerly buster hits Wellington.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 13 March 2010.
- Insurance Council of New Zealand (www.icnz.org.nz/current/weather)