NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
May 2001 Upper North Island Storm
(
2001-05-09
)
Thunderstorms, heavy rain, high winds and minor flooding were experienced in Northland, Auckland and the Waikato, and caused minor damage. A man went missing after boogie-boarding down a waterfall in the flooded Kerikeri River.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 2 days - From the 9th to the 10th of May.
The MetService issued a Heavy Rain Warning for Northland and Auckland, but it was lifted later in day.
A low moved south over the North Island, bringing a band of heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong north-east winds.
Northland
Multi Hazard
at
Northland
Three fishermen were rescued from a liferaft after abandoning their sinking fishing boat about 670 km west of Cape Reinga on the 9th, in atrocious conditions.
The Whangarei District suffered about $17,000 ($20,900 2008 dollars) of damage on the 10th.
Autumn storms cost the Whangaei District Council $450,000 ($553,000 2008 dollars) in flood damage repairs. Much of this was for the Helena Bay hill area.
High Wind / Gust
There were 35-knot (65-km/hr) winds at the time.
Maritime / Coastal
There were 3-metre swells in the Tasman Sea.
Lightning
Thunderstorms moved across Northland early on the 10th.
Heavy Rain
The eastern hills from Whangarei to the Bay of Islands and Kaeo received 40 mm (4.0 cm) of rain up to 9am on the 10th.
Flooding
A lot of rivers were running at very high levels.
There were no cases of serious flooding.
Landslide
There were small slips on Russell Road.
High Wind / Gust
at
Helena Bay
A tree was felled on the south side of the Helena Bay Hill.
Landslide
at
Houto
A slip on Houto Road reduced the road to one lane.
Heavy Rain
at
Kaeo
Kaeo recorded up to 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain in seven hours.
Flooding
There was some minor flooding in the Kaeo township on the morning of the 10th.
Landslide
at
Kawakawa
A large slip on Whangae Road, near Kawakawa, closed the road early on the 10th. The road was reopened later in the day.
Flooding
at
Kerikeri
A 21-year-old man went missing after being swept away from the bottom of Wharepuke Falls while boogie-boarding down the flood-swollen Kerikeri River on the afternoon of the 10th. His companion managed to get out.
Heavy rain during day had swollen the Kerikeri River.
The Kerikeri River rose to within 4 m of the Kemp House and the Stone Store.
Flooding
at
Okaihau
Some Okaihau College pupils were sent home early to beat rising flood waters on roads in rural areas.
Surface flooding came within 50 cm of entering the school gym, and a nearby area was pumped out by the volunteer fire brigade.
Heavy Rain
at
Puhipuhi
Puhipuhi recorded up to 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain in seven hours.
Landslide
at
Waiare
A slip blocked Waiare Road for most of the day on the 10th.
Flooding
at
Waikare
Surface flooding made Waikare Road impassable to all but trucks for three or four hours on the morning of the 10th.
Landslide
at
Whananaki
There were small slips at Whananaki.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
Whangarei city received 48 mm (4.8 cm) of rain in the four hours from 6am to 10am on the 10th.
Auckland
Heavy Rain
at
Auckland
Auckland recorded 136 mm (13.6 cm) of rain in eight days.
Auckland received 60 mm (6.0 cm) of rain on the 10th.
Auckland experienced a 12-hour downpour on the 10th. It was the second 60 mm downpour to hit the city in just over a week.
Lightning
Thunderstorms hit Auckland by mid-morning on the 10th.
High Wind / Gust
Fallen trees and damaged roofs were reported in Epsom, Greenlane, Grey Lynn, Torbay, Browns Bay and on the Hibiscus Coast.
Multi Hazard
Up to a dozen car accidents and power blackouts slowed traffic on the motorway, Tamaki Drive, Ponsonby Road and in Greenlane.
Flooding
at
Auckland City
Auckland city suffered from surface flooding.
High Wind / Gust
Auckland city was buffeted by high winds.
High Wind / Gust
at
Epsom
In Omana Ave, Epsom, an oak tree was uprooted and brought down six power poles. Wiring and guttering were ripped from homes and wires were strewn across the street and front lawns.
High Wind / Gust
at
Greenlane
A tree brought down powerlines and caused a transformer to explode in Campbell Road, Greenlane at around 1:45pm.
Campbell Road was closed for several hours.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mission Bay
Some winds reached nearly 100 km/hr at Mission Bay.
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Waikato
The front swept through Coromandel on the afternoon of the 10th.
Heavy Rain
The Coromandel recorded 75 mm (7.5 cm) of rain in seven hours on the 10th.
References
- Headline: Storm sweeps in to batter region.
- The Northern Advocate, 10 May 2001.
- Headline: Latest drenching 'wasn't a major'.
- The Northern Advocate, 11 May 2001.
- Headline: Floods hamper river search.
- The Northern Advocate, 12 May 2001.
- Headline: Autumn storms costly.
- The Northern Advocate, 28 May 2001.
- Headline: Fishermen plucked from boiling seas.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 10 May 2001.
- Headline: Sideways rain batters region.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 11 May 2001.
- Headline: River hunt for lost man.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 May 2001.
May 2001 Upper North Island Storm
(
2001-05-09
)
Thunderstorms, heavy rain, high winds and minor flooding were experienced in Northland, Auckland and the Waikato, and caused minor damage. A man went missing after boogie-boarding down a waterfall in the flooded Kerikeri River.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 2 days - From the 9th to the 10th of May.
The MetService issued a Heavy Rain Warning for Northland and Auckland, but it was lifted later in day.
A low moved south over the North Island, bringing a band of heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong north-east winds.
Northland
Multi Hazard
at
Northland
Three fishermen were rescued from a liferaft after abandoning their sinking fishing boat about 670 km west of Cape Reinga on the 9th, in atrocious conditions.
The Whangarei District suffered about $17,000 ($20,900 2008 dollars) of damage on the 10th.
Autumn storms cost the Whangaei District Council $450,000 ($553,000 2008 dollars) in flood damage repairs. Much of this was for the Helena Bay hill area.
High Wind / Gust
There were 35-knot (65-km/hr) winds at the time.
Maritime / Coastal
There were 3-metre swells in the Tasman Sea.
Lightning
Thunderstorms moved across Northland early on the 10th.
Heavy Rain
The eastern hills from Whangarei to the Bay of Islands and Kaeo received 40 mm (4.0 cm) of rain up to 9am on the 10th.
Flooding
A lot of rivers were running at very high levels.
There were no cases of serious flooding.
Landslide
There were small slips on Russell Road.
High Wind / Gust
at
Helena Bay
A tree was felled on the south side of the Helena Bay Hill.
Landslide
at
Houto
A slip on Houto Road reduced the road to one lane.
Heavy Rain
at
Kaeo
Kaeo recorded up to 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain in seven hours.
Flooding
There was some minor flooding in the Kaeo township on the morning of the 10th.
Landslide
at
Kawakawa
A large slip on Whangae Road, near Kawakawa, closed the road early on the 10th. The road was reopened later in the day.
Flooding
at
Kerikeri
A 21-year-old man went missing after being swept away from the bottom of Wharepuke Falls while boogie-boarding down the flood-swollen Kerikeri River on the afternoon of the 10th. His companion managed to get out.
Heavy rain during day had swollen the Kerikeri River.
The Kerikeri River rose to within 4 m of the Kemp House and the Stone Store.
Flooding
at
Okaihau
Some Okaihau College pupils were sent home early to beat rising flood waters on roads in rural areas.
Surface flooding came within 50 cm of entering the school gym, and a nearby area was pumped out by the volunteer fire brigade.
Heavy Rain
at
Puhipuhi
Puhipuhi recorded up to 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain in seven hours.
Landslide
at
Waiare
A slip blocked Waiare Road for most of the day on the 10th.
Flooding
at
Waikare
Surface flooding made Waikare Road impassable to all but trucks for three or four hours on the morning of the 10th.
Landslide
at
Whananaki
There were small slips at Whananaki.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
Whangarei city received 48 mm (4.8 cm) of rain in the four hours from 6am to 10am on the 10th.
Auckland
Heavy Rain
at
Auckland
Auckland recorded 136 mm (13.6 cm) of rain in eight days.
Auckland received 60 mm (6.0 cm) of rain on the 10th.
Auckland experienced a 12-hour downpour on the 10th. It was the second 60 mm downpour to hit the city in just over a week.
Lightning
Thunderstorms hit Auckland by mid-morning on the 10th.
High Wind / Gust
Fallen trees and damaged roofs were reported in Epsom, Greenlane, Grey Lynn, Torbay, Browns Bay and on the Hibiscus Coast.
Multi Hazard
Up to a dozen car accidents and power blackouts slowed traffic on the motorway, Tamaki Drive, Ponsonby Road and in Greenlane.
Flooding
at
Auckland City
Auckland city suffered from surface flooding.
High Wind / Gust
Auckland city was buffeted by high winds.
High Wind / Gust
at
Epsom
In Omana Ave, Epsom, an oak tree was uprooted and brought down six power poles. Wiring and guttering were ripped from homes and wires were strewn across the street and front lawns.
High Wind / Gust
at
Greenlane
A tree brought down powerlines and caused a transformer to explode in Campbell Road, Greenlane at around 1:45pm.
Campbell Road was closed for several hours.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mission Bay
Some winds reached nearly 100 km/hr at Mission Bay.
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Waikato
The front swept through Coromandel on the afternoon of the 10th.
Heavy Rain
The Coromandel recorded 75 mm (7.5 cm) of rain in seven hours on the 10th.
References
- Headline: Storm sweeps in to batter region.
- The Northern Advocate, 10 May 2001.
- Headline: Latest drenching 'wasn't a major'.
- The Northern Advocate, 11 May 2001.
- Headline: Floods hamper river search.
- The Northern Advocate, 12 May 2001.
- Headline: Autumn storms costly.
- The Northern Advocate, 28 May 2001.
- Headline: Fishermen plucked from boiling seas.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 10 May 2001.
- Headline: Sideways rain batters region.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 11 May 2001.
- Headline: River hunt for lost man.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 May 2001.