NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
May 2002 New Zealand Thunderstorms and Snow ( 2002-05-25 )
The North Island experienced thunderstorms, with lightning high winds and minor flooding. Lightning caused property damage and power cuts. The South Island experienced snowfalls over a few days, which closed many roads.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 25th to the 28th of May.
A wintry blast from a strong low parked south of New Zealand, deep in the Southern Ocean. Freezing air from Antarctic ice shelves was blown north over much of the country and picked up moisture as it crossed the sea, creating heavy clouds and thunderstorms. The low covered from the north of New Zealand to Antarctica on the 28th.
A wintry chill hit the country on the 25th and 26th.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Wild weather was experienced from Auckland to Hamilton overnight on the 27th/28th.
Lightning strikes and hailstorms lashed the upper North Island.
South Island
Snow / Ice
at
South Island
More snow was dumped on Otago and Southland on the 28th.
State Highway 1 from Milton to Gore was still closed because of snow on the 28th.
Some people in country areas could not get to work for the second day in a row on the the 28th.
Dansey's Pass, between Ranfurly and Duntroon, was still closed due to snow on the 30th.
Multi Hazard
Snow was retreating and flood levels easing in the South Island on the morning of the 30th.
Auckland
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland
Powerlines were blown down in Mount Roskill, Mangere, Avondale, Albany and North Shore on the night of the 27th/28th.
Winds gusted up to 80 km/hr.
Buildings were damaged by the wind.
The Fire Service received more than 100 calls about wind damage across Auckland on the morning on the 28th.
Multi Hazard
Police attended about 70 car accidents throughout the day.
Lightning
About 700 homes in north and west Auckland were without power for some hours and without hot water for about two days. Some residents had almost three days without hot water. The damage was mostly caused by lightning strikes sending surges along power cables, blowing out relays and fuses.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland City
Squalls and south-westerlies toppled ten mostly empty shipping containers at the Fergusson terminal.
High Wind / Gust
at
Birkenhead
The roof of the Methodist Church in Birkenhead was damaged.
Lightning
at
Browns Bay
A home in Browns Bay was hit by lightning just after the resident had left. The lightning blew out walls and windows, blew concrete paths to bits, moved the house, lifted the floor and wrecked the TV. The blast from the strike was heard throughout Browns Bay.
Lightning
at
Hillsborough
Power was cut to a street in Hillsborough.
Lightning
at
Mount Eden
A house in Dominion Road was struck by lightning and tiles were knocked off the roof.
Flooding
at
Otahuhu
A house in Walters Road, Otahuhu, was flooded.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waiuku
Tiles were blown from the roof of a house in Waiuku.
Waikato
Lightning
at
Waikato
In Waikato there were 3500 lightning strikes overnight on the 27th/28th, and also thunder.
High Wind / Gust
Winds gusted to 100 km/hr.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hamilton
A tree fell on a house in Balloch Street on the 27th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Huntly
A large ranchslider was blown in at Burke Place on the 27th.
Hawke's Bay
High Wind / Gust
at
Hawke's Bay
Strong gusts struck exposed parts of Hawke's Bay throughout much of the weekend (25th-26th).
Wellington
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington
Strong gusts struck exposed parts of northern Wairarapa throughout much of the weekend (25th-26th).
Canterbury
Multi Hazard
at
Christchurch
Christchurch had temperatures ranging from 12 degC to zero on the 25th and 26th.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Hutt Skifield
Mt Hutt received 20 cm of fresh snow .
There were 1-metre drifts in some places.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Otago
Bitterly cold south-westerlies brought snowfall to near sea level in Otago and Southland from the 25th to the 28th.
On the 26th, dozens of motorists were trapped in snow on State Highway 1 north of Dunedin. The road was closed for a few hours because of snow and ice.
Some west Otago roads were closed because of snow.
Snow was 30-40 cm deep in places on west Otago roads.
Some schools were closed.
Power failures affected some areas.
Thousands of cattle and sheep were suffering exhaustion due to cold and lack of feed.
State Highway 8 from Raes Junction to Milton was still closed because of snow on the 28th.
High Wind / Gust
Coastal Otago was battered by severe winds.
Snow / Ice
at
Arrowtown
Arrowtown was blanketed in snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunedin
The snow was a few centimeters deep in Dunedin.
Dunedin had a day-time maximum temperature of 3 degrees C.
Dunedin's hillside suburbs were still blanketed in snow on the 28th.
Snow / Ice
at
Maniototo Plain
Schools in the most isolated areas, such as the Maniototo, were still closed on the 30th.
Gullies were up to 10 m deep in snow drifts.
Snow was still lying in the Mainiototo Valley on the 31st.
Snow / Ice
at
Queenstown
The hills above Queenstown were blanketed in snow.
Southland
Snow / Ice
at
Southland
Bitterly cold south-westerlies brought snowfall to near sea level in Otago and Southland from the 25th to the 28th.
Some inland Southland roads were closed because of snow.
Snow was 30-40 cm deep in places on inland Southland roads.
Some schools were closed.
Power failures affected some areas.
State Highway 93 from Clinton to Mataura was still closed because of snow on the 28th.
A number of Southland rivers burst their banks on the 29th after snow melt.
Some farmers' paddocks were flooded.
References
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Snowstorms, to 14th June 2006.
- Headline: Antarctic air chills country to the bone.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 27 May 2002.
- Headline: Rain, wind and lightning play havoc in North Island.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 28 May 2002.
- Headline: South Island bracing for another polar blast.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 28 May 2002.
- Headline: Blown and blasted, with more bad weather coming.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 29 May 2002.
- Headline: Cold showers as water heating fails in Auckland suburbs.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 30 May 2002.
- Headline: Snow easing but South Island braces for another blast.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 30 May 2002.
- Headline: Power firms in hot water after ligthning strike.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 31 May 2002.
May 2002 New Zealand Thunderstorms and Snow ( 2002-05-25 )
The North Island experienced thunderstorms, with lightning high winds and minor flooding. Lightning caused property damage and power cuts. The South Island experienced snowfalls over a few days, which closed many roads.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 25th to the 28th of May.
A wintry blast from a strong low parked south of New Zealand, deep in the Southern Ocean. Freezing air from Antarctic ice shelves was blown north over much of the country and picked up moisture as it crossed the sea, creating heavy clouds and thunderstorms. The low covered from the north of New Zealand to Antarctica on the 28th.
A wintry chill hit the country on the 25th and 26th.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Wild weather was experienced from Auckland to Hamilton overnight on the 27th/28th.
Lightning strikes and hailstorms lashed the upper North Island.
South Island
Snow / Ice
at
South Island
More snow was dumped on Otago and Southland on the 28th.
State Highway 1 from Milton to Gore was still closed because of snow on the 28th.
Some people in country areas could not get to work for the second day in a row on the the 28th.
Dansey's Pass, between Ranfurly and Duntroon, was still closed due to snow on the 30th.
Multi Hazard
Snow was retreating and flood levels easing in the South Island on the morning of the 30th.
Auckland
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland
Powerlines were blown down in Mount Roskill, Mangere, Avondale, Albany and North Shore on the night of the 27th/28th.
Winds gusted up to 80 km/hr.
Buildings were damaged by the wind.
The Fire Service received more than 100 calls about wind damage across Auckland on the morning on the 28th.
Multi Hazard
Police attended about 70 car accidents throughout the day.
Lightning
About 700 homes in north and west Auckland were without power for some hours and without hot water for about two days. Some residents had almost three days without hot water. The damage was mostly caused by lightning strikes sending surges along power cables, blowing out relays and fuses.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland City
Squalls and south-westerlies toppled ten mostly empty shipping containers at the Fergusson terminal.
High Wind / Gust
at
Birkenhead
The roof of the Methodist Church in Birkenhead was damaged.
Lightning
at
Browns Bay
A home in Browns Bay was hit by lightning just after the resident had left. The lightning blew out walls and windows, blew concrete paths to bits, moved the house, lifted the floor and wrecked the TV. The blast from the strike was heard throughout Browns Bay.
Lightning
at
Hillsborough
Power was cut to a street in Hillsborough.
Lightning
at
Mount Eden
A house in Dominion Road was struck by lightning and tiles were knocked off the roof.
Flooding
at
Otahuhu
A house in Walters Road, Otahuhu, was flooded.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waiuku
Tiles were blown from the roof of a house in Waiuku.
Waikato
Lightning
at
Waikato
In Waikato there were 3500 lightning strikes overnight on the 27th/28th, and also thunder.
High Wind / Gust
Winds gusted to 100 km/hr.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hamilton
A tree fell on a house in Balloch Street on the 27th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Huntly
A large ranchslider was blown in at Burke Place on the 27th.
Hawke's Bay
High Wind / Gust
at
Hawke's Bay
Strong gusts struck exposed parts of Hawke's Bay throughout much of the weekend (25th-26th).
Wellington
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington
Strong gusts struck exposed parts of northern Wairarapa throughout much of the weekend (25th-26th).
Canterbury
Multi Hazard
at
Christchurch
Christchurch had temperatures ranging from 12 degC to zero on the 25th and 26th.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Hutt Skifield
Mt Hutt received 20 cm of fresh snow .
There were 1-metre drifts in some places.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Otago
Bitterly cold south-westerlies brought snowfall to near sea level in Otago and Southland from the 25th to the 28th.
On the 26th, dozens of motorists were trapped in snow on State Highway 1 north of Dunedin. The road was closed for a few hours because of snow and ice.
Some west Otago roads were closed because of snow.
Snow was 30-40 cm deep in places on west Otago roads.
Some schools were closed.
Power failures affected some areas.
Thousands of cattle and sheep were suffering exhaustion due to cold and lack of feed.
State Highway 8 from Raes Junction to Milton was still closed because of snow on the 28th.
High Wind / Gust
Coastal Otago was battered by severe winds.
Snow / Ice
at
Arrowtown
Arrowtown was blanketed in snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Dunedin
The snow was a few centimeters deep in Dunedin.
Dunedin had a day-time maximum temperature of 3 degrees C.
Dunedin's hillside suburbs were still blanketed in snow on the 28th.
Snow / Ice
at
Maniototo Plain
Schools in the most isolated areas, such as the Maniototo, were still closed on the 30th.
Gullies were up to 10 m deep in snow drifts.
Snow was still lying in the Mainiototo Valley on the 31st.
Snow / Ice
at
Queenstown
The hills above Queenstown were blanketed in snow.
Southland
Snow / Ice
at
Southland
Bitterly cold south-westerlies brought snowfall to near sea level in Otago and Southland from the 25th to the 28th.
Some inland Southland roads were closed because of snow.
Snow was 30-40 cm deep in places on inland Southland roads.
Some schools were closed.
Power failures affected some areas.
State Highway 93 from Clinton to Mataura was still closed because of snow on the 28th.
A number of Southland rivers burst their banks on the 29th after snow melt.
Some farmers' paddocks were flooded.
References
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Snowstorms, to 14th June 2006.
- Headline: Antarctic air chills country to the bone.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 27 May 2002.
- Headline: Rain, wind and lightning play havoc in North Island.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 28 May 2002.
- Headline: South Island bracing for another polar blast.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 28 May 2002.
- Headline: Blown and blasted, with more bad weather coming.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 29 May 2002.
- Headline: Cold showers as water heating fails in Auckland suburbs.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 30 May 2002.
- Headline: Snow easing but South Island braces for another blast.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 30 May 2002.
- Headline: Power firms in hot water after ligthning strike.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 31 May 2002.