NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
May 2008 Central Eastern North Island Heavy Rain ( 2008-05-24 )
Heavy rain resulted in a car accident in Gisborne and a microlight plane crash in the Hawke's Bay.
North Island
Multi Hazard
Duration: 3 days - From the 24th to the 26th April 2008.
Waikato
Heavy Rain
at
Coromandel Peninsula
Heavy rain was dumped on Coromandel overnight of the 25th.
MetService issued a Severe Weather Warning of heavy rain for Coromandel Peninsula at 8:30pm on the 25th.
Heavy Rain
at
Whitianga
Whitianga recorded 56 mm (5.6 cm) of rain in 12 hours to 8am on the 26th.
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne
There was torrential rain on the 25th and 26th onto saturated ground. The district already had more than the monthly average for rain for May. The torrential rain came on top of a wet April where some parts of the region had five times the average rainfall.
Up the coast of Gisborne there was 15-40 mm (1.5-4.0 cm) of rain in 56 hours to 8am on the 26th.
Varying amounts of rain fell around the region from midnight on the 23rd to 8am on the 26th.
Flooding
Flooding disrupted sports events and caused dangerous conditions on roads around the district.
Hill country all around the district was saturated.
Throughout the flats there were large areas of surface water. The succession of showers surface-saturated the catchment.
Culverts were blocked on Riverside Road.
Landslide
Slips were reported on Waimata Valley Road.
Flooding
at
Makaraka
A car left the road and crashed into a tree during torrential rain at the intersection of Matawai and Farmer Roads, north of the city.
A 3-month-old baby girl died at the scene of the accident.
The mother (29 years old) was flown to Waikato Hospital in critical condition. The great aunt (50 years old) was in intensive care in Gisborne Hospital and the father was in stable in Gisborne Hospital.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangara
The area inland from Whangara recorded 94 mm (9.4 cm) of rain in 56 hours to 8am on the 26th.
Heavy Rain
at
Mangapoiki
Mangapoiki recorded 96 mm (9.6 cm) of rain in 56 hours to 8am on the 26th.
Hawke's Bay
Multi Hazard
at
Wairoa
Two men in a microlight plane crashed 150 metres from the runway at Wairoa Airport at 3:15am on the 25th. Both men, aged 30 and 39 years old, died.
The weather was appalling, and included heavy showers, lightning and patches of fog, although alcohol was also thought to be a factor.
Landslide
at
Urewera National Park
A major slip came down on State Highway 38 near Lake Waikaremoana in Urewera National Park.
There was a forced closure of the road between Te Waiti and Tuai for several hours.
References
- Headline: Saturated by long stint of heavy rain.
- www.gisborneherald.co.nz, 26 May 2008.
- Headline: 'The worst possible night' for flying.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 26 May 2008.
- Headline: Slip forces closure of SH38.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB, 25 May 2008.
- Headline: Baby dies in Gisborne crash, parents hurt.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 25 May 2008.
- Headline: Peninsula cops heavy dose of rain.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Waikato Times, 26 May 2008.
May 2008 Central Eastern North Island Heavy Rain ( 2008-05-24 )
Heavy rain resulted in a car accident in Gisborne and a microlight plane crash in the Hawke's Bay.
North Island
Multi Hazard
Duration: 3 days - From the 24th to the 26th April 2008.
Waikato
Heavy Rain
at
Coromandel Peninsula
Heavy rain was dumped on Coromandel overnight of the 25th.
MetService issued a Severe Weather Warning of heavy rain for Coromandel Peninsula at 8:30pm on the 25th.
Heavy Rain
at
Whitianga
Whitianga recorded 56 mm (5.6 cm) of rain in 12 hours to 8am on the 26th.
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne
There was torrential rain on the 25th and 26th onto saturated ground. The district already had more than the monthly average for rain for May. The torrential rain came on top of a wet April where some parts of the region had five times the average rainfall.
Up the coast of Gisborne there was 15-40 mm (1.5-4.0 cm) of rain in 56 hours to 8am on the 26th.
Varying amounts of rain fell around the region from midnight on the 23rd to 8am on the 26th.
Flooding
Flooding disrupted sports events and caused dangerous conditions on roads around the district.
Hill country all around the district was saturated.
Throughout the flats there were large areas of surface water. The succession of showers surface-saturated the catchment.
Culverts were blocked on Riverside Road.
Landslide
Slips were reported on Waimata Valley Road.
Flooding
at
Makaraka
A car left the road and crashed into a tree during torrential rain at the intersection of Matawai and Farmer Roads, north of the city.
A 3-month-old baby girl died at the scene of the accident.
The mother (29 years old) was flown to Waikato Hospital in critical condition. The great aunt (50 years old) was in intensive care in Gisborne Hospital and the father was in stable in Gisborne Hospital.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangara
The area inland from Whangara recorded 94 mm (9.4 cm) of rain in 56 hours to 8am on the 26th.
Heavy Rain
at
Mangapoiki
Mangapoiki recorded 96 mm (9.6 cm) of rain in 56 hours to 8am on the 26th.
Hawke's Bay
Multi Hazard
at
Wairoa
Two men in a microlight plane crashed 150 metres from the runway at Wairoa Airport at 3:15am on the 25th. Both men, aged 30 and 39 years old, died.
The weather was appalling, and included heavy showers, lightning and patches of fog, although alcohol was also thought to be a factor.
Landslide
at
Urewera National Park
A major slip came down on State Highway 38 near Lake Waikaremoana in Urewera National Park.
There was a forced closure of the road between Te Waiti and Tuai for several hours.
References
- Headline: Saturated by long stint of heavy rain.
- www.gisborneherald.co.nz, 26 May 2008.
- Headline: 'The worst possible night' for flying.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 26 May 2008.
- Headline: Slip forces closure of SH38.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB, 25 May 2008.
- Headline: Baby dies in Gisborne crash, parents hurt.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 25 May 2008.
- Headline: Peninsula cops heavy dose of rain.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Waikato Times, 26 May 2008.