NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
March 2012 North Island Storm ( 2012-03-18 )
Heavy rain caused flooding and high winds caused damage and disruption in many North Island places. The worst affected areas were Northland, Gisborne, Taranaki, and Wellington.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 3 days - 18- 20 March
A deep low, from the sub-tropics, became slow-moving to the north of the North Island and brought heavy rain over areas from Gisborne to Northland. It was also accompanied by southeast gales.
One major rural insurance company has received claims for about $1 million.
Northland
Multi Hazard
at
Northland
Some sections of the state highway were closed by surface flooding, and strong winds brought down trees. Power was cut to hundreds of homes.
Flooding
at
Northland
Some schools were closed due to the flooding.
Flooding
at
Kaeo
Water levels in the main street of Kaeo were about 1 metre high on 19 March
State Highway 10 near Kaeo was closed overnight on 19/20 March.
Flooding
at
Otaika
A 61 year old woman was rescued after her vehicle was swept away by floodwaters (about 11:30 am on 19 March).
Flooding
at
Whananaki
A woman had to abandon her car after it was caught in floodwaters (8:30 am on 19 March).
Flooding
at
Mokau
A man had to abandon his car after it was caught in rising water (7:30 am on 19 March).
Flooding
at
Whakapara
Six cars were stranded on the north side of SH1 about 1:30 pm on 19 March.
Flooding
at
Ngunguru
The fire brigade rescued a couple and their three year-old child from their home after 1.5m floodwaters threatened to engulf their property.
Heavy Rain
at
Kaeo
283.5 mm of rain fell on the eastern hills above Kaeo between midnight 17 March and 9 am 19 March.
Heavy Rain
at
Glenbervie
202.5 mm of rain fell in Whangarei's Glenbervie area between midnight 17 March and 9 am 19 March.
Heavy Rain
at
Puhipuhi
200 mm of rain fell at Puhipuhi between midnight 17 March and 9 am 19 March.
Heavy Rain
at
Kerikeri
189 mm of rain fell at Kerikeri between midnight 17 March and 9 am 19 March.
Flooding
at
Dargaville
State Highway 12 was closed overnight on 19/20 March.
Gisborne
Multi Hazard
at
Gisborne
Almost all routes out of the district were blocked by slips, trees or flooding for a couple of hours on 20 March.
Firefighters had a busy night (on 19/20 March) with wind gusts lifting roofs at some properties.
Landslide
at
Gisborne
A family had to evacuate their home as a slip crushed its way inside overnight on 19/20 March.
Taranaki
High Wind / Gust
at
Taranaki
About 2000 properties lost power, as trees and branches came down on lines due to the high winds.
State Highway 45, the coastal route from New Plymouth to Hawera, was closed overnight on 19/20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
New Plymouth
Wind gusts reached 113 km/hr on 20 March.
State Highway 3 north of New Plymouth was closed after roofing from a nearby storage shed was blown across the highway, and to the west on New Plymouth a truck rolled.
At Yarrow Stadium, sheets of iron were lifted from the main stand roof, and lights and the sound system were also damaged on 20 March.
The New Plymouth courthouse had windows blown out and large cracks formed over the main doors on 20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
New Plymouth Airport
Flights in and out of New Plymouth Airport were cancelled on 20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
Bell Block
A house at Bell Block was destroyed by the strong winds on 20 March.
Auckland
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland Airport
24 return flights were cancelled due to the wet runway and gusty crosswinds.
Manawatu-Wanganui
High Wind / Gust
at
Feilding
Strong winds cut power in parts of Feilding for a few hours.
Wellington
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington
The East by West ferries were cancelled, and the Interislander sailings were rescheduled on 20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kelburn
Wind gusts reached 93 km/hr on 20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
Evans Bay
One yacht sank, and another was washed up on rocks
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington Airport
10 domestic flights in and out of the capital were cancelled.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mount Kaukau
Gusts of 130 km/hr were recorded on 20 March at Mt Kaukau, near Johnsonville.
Waikato
High Wind / Gust
at
Taupo
About 500 properties lost power.
The Napier to Taupo road was closed near Taupo overnight on 19/20 March.
References
- Headline: Water levels rising in Far North
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Civil Defence issues flood warning.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Dramatic rescue from floodwaters.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Gisborne isolated by storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 20 March 2012.
- Headline: Winds in Wellington ease a little bit
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 21 March 2012.
- Headline: 130 kmh winds hammering Wellington
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 20 March 2012.
- Headline: Wild weather spreads south.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 20 March 2012.
- Headline: Southerly blast brings flooding.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Southerly change brings bitter weather change.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Wild weather wreaks havoc.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Drenching rains high winds spread south.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: March storm costs soar to $6m
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 10 April 2012.
March 2012 North Island Storm ( 2012-03-18 )
Heavy rain caused flooding and high winds caused damage and disruption in many North Island places. The worst affected areas were Northland, Gisborne, Taranaki, and Wellington.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 3 days - 18- 20 March
A deep low, from the sub-tropics, became slow-moving to the north of the North Island and brought heavy rain over areas from Gisborne to Northland. It was also accompanied by southeast gales.
One major rural insurance company has received claims for about $1 million.
Northland
Multi Hazard
at
Northland
Some sections of the state highway were closed by surface flooding, and strong winds brought down trees. Power was cut to hundreds of homes.
Flooding
at
Northland
Some schools were closed due to the flooding.
Flooding
at
Kaeo
Water levels in the main street of Kaeo were about 1 metre high on 19 March
State Highway 10 near Kaeo was closed overnight on 19/20 March.
Flooding
at
Otaika
A 61 year old woman was rescued after her vehicle was swept away by floodwaters (about 11:30 am on 19 March).
Flooding
at
Whananaki
A woman had to abandon her car after it was caught in floodwaters (8:30 am on 19 March).
Flooding
at
Mokau
A man had to abandon his car after it was caught in rising water (7:30 am on 19 March).
Flooding
at
Whakapara
Six cars were stranded on the north side of SH1 about 1:30 pm on 19 March.
Flooding
at
Ngunguru
The fire brigade rescued a couple and their three year-old child from their home after 1.5m floodwaters threatened to engulf their property.
Heavy Rain
at
Kaeo
283.5 mm of rain fell on the eastern hills above Kaeo between midnight 17 March and 9 am 19 March.
Heavy Rain
at
Glenbervie
202.5 mm of rain fell in Whangarei's Glenbervie area between midnight 17 March and 9 am 19 March.
Heavy Rain
at
Puhipuhi
200 mm of rain fell at Puhipuhi between midnight 17 March and 9 am 19 March.
Heavy Rain
at
Kerikeri
189 mm of rain fell at Kerikeri between midnight 17 March and 9 am 19 March.
Flooding
at
Dargaville
State Highway 12 was closed overnight on 19/20 March.
Gisborne
Multi Hazard
at
Gisborne
Almost all routes out of the district were blocked by slips, trees or flooding for a couple of hours on 20 March.
Firefighters had a busy night (on 19/20 March) with wind gusts lifting roofs at some properties.
Landslide
at
Gisborne
A family had to evacuate their home as a slip crushed its way inside overnight on 19/20 March.
Taranaki
High Wind / Gust
at
Taranaki
About 2000 properties lost power, as trees and branches came down on lines due to the high winds.
State Highway 45, the coastal route from New Plymouth to Hawera, was closed overnight on 19/20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
New Plymouth
Wind gusts reached 113 km/hr on 20 March.
State Highway 3 north of New Plymouth was closed after roofing from a nearby storage shed was blown across the highway, and to the west on New Plymouth a truck rolled.
At Yarrow Stadium, sheets of iron were lifted from the main stand roof, and lights and the sound system were also damaged on 20 March.
The New Plymouth courthouse had windows blown out and large cracks formed over the main doors on 20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
New Plymouth Airport
Flights in and out of New Plymouth Airport were cancelled on 20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
Bell Block
A house at Bell Block was destroyed by the strong winds on 20 March.
Auckland
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland Airport
24 return flights were cancelled due to the wet runway and gusty crosswinds.
Manawatu-Wanganui
High Wind / Gust
at
Feilding
Strong winds cut power in parts of Feilding for a few hours.
Wellington
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington
The East by West ferries were cancelled, and the Interislander sailings were rescheduled on 20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kelburn
Wind gusts reached 93 km/hr on 20 March.
High Wind / Gust
at
Evans Bay
One yacht sank, and another was washed up on rocks
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington Airport
10 domestic flights in and out of the capital were cancelled.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mount Kaukau
Gusts of 130 km/hr were recorded on 20 March at Mt Kaukau, near Johnsonville.
Waikato
High Wind / Gust
at
Taupo
About 500 properties lost power.
The Napier to Taupo road was closed near Taupo overnight on 19/20 March.
References
- Headline: Water levels rising in Far North
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Civil Defence issues flood warning.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Dramatic rescue from floodwaters.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Gisborne isolated by storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 20 March 2012.
- Headline: Winds in Wellington ease a little bit
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 21 March 2012.
- Headline: 130 kmh winds hammering Wellington
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 20 March 2012.
- Headline: Wild weather spreads south.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 20 March 2012.
- Headline: Southerly blast brings flooding.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Southerly change brings bitter weather change.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Wild weather wreaks havoc.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: Drenching rains high winds spread south.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 19 March 2012.
- Headline: March storm costs soar to $6m
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 10 April 2012.