NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
May 2009 New Zealand Cold Snap
(
2009-05-19
)
A cold snap brought cold temperatures, hail and ice to parts of the North Island, with snow in the Central North Island. Snow and high winds were experienced in the South Island. Four people were injured and one killed in traffic accidents on icy roads and two boys had hypothermia when they were resuced from the snow in the Ruahine Ranges.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 6 days - From the 19th to the 24th of May.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 11:42 am 19-May-2009: Heavy snow for Southland and eastern Otago. Severe gales for Banks Peninsula. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Southland and eastern Otago; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Banks Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:40 pm 19-May-2009: Heavy snow for Southland and eastern Otago overnight and during Wednesday. Severe southwest gales for Banks Peninsula overnight tonight. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Southland and eastern Otago; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Banks Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:48 am 20-May-2009: Snow in Southland and eastern Otago easing this afternoon. Southwest gales about Banks Peninsula easing this morning. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Southland and eastern Otago. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Strong Wind Warnings lifted for Banks Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 5:04 pm 20-May-2009: Snow showers in Southland and eastern Otago and severe southwest gales about Banks Peninsula have eased. Some heavy snow expected in the Central North Island tonight. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island north of Hunterville to the summit of the Desert Road, and as far west as Tongariro National Park and Raetihi. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Snowfall Warnings lifted for Southland and eastern Otago.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:07 pm 20-May-2009: Some heavy snow expected in the Central North Island Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island north of Hunterville to the summit of the Desert Road, and as far west as Tongariro National Park and Raetihi.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:02 am 21-May-2009: No further heavy snow expected in the Central North Island and the warning for this area is lifted. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Snowfall Warnings lifted for Central North Island north of Hunterville to the summit of the Desert Road and as far west as Tongariro National Park and Raetihi.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 1:34 pm 22-May-2009: Weekend threat of severe southerly gales from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa, some heavy snow on the Central North Island plateau and spell of heavy rain from Mid Canterbury to Kaikoura coast. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island, especially Taihape region and near Tongariro National Park; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa, also Wellington and Marlborough Sounds; and HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: eastern ranges of Canterbury from about the Rakaia Gorge northwards, also Kaikoura ranges.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:00 pm 22-May-2009: Severe southerly gales on Saturday for Wellington and from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa. Heavy snowfalls expected in the Central North Island from Saturday afternoon. Also heavy rain warning for Canterbury and Kaikoura coast and ranges. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa and for Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds; HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island, especially Taihape region and Tongariro National Park; and HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Canterbury north of the Rangitata and for the Kaikoura cost and ranges.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:34 am 23-May-2009: Severe southerly gales from Banks Peninsula to Wellington and Hawke’s Bay spreading to Marlborough Sounds. Heavy snowfalls expected in the Central North Island this afternoon and evening. Also heavy rain expected for ranges from Canterbury to Hawkes Bay. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa and Cape Kidnappers, Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds; HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island, especially Taihape region and Tongariro National Park area; and HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: eastern ranges of Canterbury north of Rangitata River, Kaikoura cost and ranges, Tararua Ranges and ranges of Hawkes Bay.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:49 pm 23-May-2009: Severe southerly gales in Wellington, Wairarapa and Marlborough Sounds easing Saturday night. Brief snowfalls in the Central North Island Saturday evening. Also heavy rain in eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa spreading to Hawkes Bay and southern Gisborne during Sunday morning. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Wellington, coastal Wairarapa, coastal Hawkes Bay south of Cape Kidnappers, and Marlborough Sounds; HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island, especially Taihape region and Tongariro National Park area; and HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: eastern ranges of Canterbury north of Rangitata, Kaikoura cost and ranges, Tararua Ranges, eastern hill country of Wairarapa north of Riversdale, Hawkes Bay, Gisborne south of Gisborne City.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:09 am 24-May-2009: Heavy rain today for Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Tararua Ranges, eastern hill country of Wairarapa north of Riversdale, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for: ranges of Canterbury north of Rangitata River, Kaikoura coast and ranges; Heavy Snowfall Warnings lifted for Central North Island; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for: Wellington, coastal Wairarapa, coastal Hawkes Bay south of Cape Kidnappers, and Marlborough Sounds.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:04 pm 24-May-2009: Heavy rain continuing in Gisborne and northern Hawkes Bay into Monday, easing further south overnight Sunday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Tararua Range, eastern hill country of Wairarapa north of Riversdale, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:02 am 25-May-2009: Heavy rain is now easing in Gisborne. Rainfall warning lifted for Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Gisborne. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for Tararua Ranges, eastern hill country of Wairarapa north of Riversdale and Hawkes Bay.
A massive front brought a southerly blast to the country from the night of the 19th. A high weather system was situated to the west of the South Island and a low to the east of the North Island. The depression was heading away from the New Zealand on the 22nd, but a small low moved back towards the east coast of the South Island on the night of the 22nd and on the 23rd.
Maritime / Coastal
Heavy seas lashed the east coast of New Zealand, from Banks Peninsula to Hawke's Bay, on the 23rd.
Heavy Rain
at
North Island
Farms from Wairarapa to Wairoa had received 50-60 mm (5.0-6.0 cm) of rain by the evening of the 24th.
Snow / Ice
at
South Island
In the South Island, light snow was reported down to 200m.
Auckland
Multi Hazard
at
Auckland
Auckland recorded a maximum temperature of 12 degC on the 20th.
A temperature of 0.5 degC was recorded in sheltered parts of Auckland at 7am on the 22nd.
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Hamilton
Ruakura recorded a minimum temperature of -0.1 degC overnight on the 20th/21st.
A temperature of -2.4 degC was recorded in Hamilton at 7am on the 22nd.
Multi Hazard
at
Matamata
Matamata recorded a minimum temperature of -2 degC overnight on the 20th/21st.
Multi Hazard
at
Taupo
Taupo recorded a minimum temperature of -3 degC on the morning of the 22nd.
A temperature of -2 degC was recorded in Taupo at 7am on the 22nd.
Multi Hazard
at
Whitianga
A temperature of -0.4 degC was recorded in Whitianga at 7am on the 22nd.
Bay of Plenty
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Tarawera
Snow blanketed Mt Tarawera on the 21st.
Hail
at
Pyes Pa
Light hail fell on a Pyes Pa kiwifruit orchard on the 20th, causing a few patches of minor damage.
Hail
at
Rotorua
A large hail storm on the night of the 20th left around 5 cm of slush between Ngongotaha and Rotorua.
Snow / Ice
Snow fell on the hills around eastern Rotorua overnight on the 20th/21st and there were reports of snow on some roadside spots. Snow blanketed Mt Ngongotaha.
Multi Hazard
Rotorua had a minimum temperature of -1degC overnight on the 20th/21st.
Rotorua had a minimum temperature of -2.5degC overnight on the 21st/22nd.
A temperature of -2 degC was recorded in Rotorua at 7am on the 22nd.
Tornado
at
Tauranga
Up to four waterspouts were viewed off the Mount Maunganui coast, close to Mayor Island, during a 20-minute period from just before 5pm on the 20th.
Lightning
The waterspouts were accompanied by a brief electrical storm, about 10 miles offshore.
Hawke's Bay
Multi Hazard
at
Hastings
A temperature of -2.4 degC was recorded in Hastings at 7am on the 22nd.
Multi Hazard
at
Napier
A temperature of -1.8 degC was recorded in Napier at 7am on the 22nd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tutira
State Highway 2 at Tutira was blocked by a fallen tree on the 24th, which closed the road for at least two hours.
Taranaki
Snow / Ice
at
Taranaki
Police attended at least nine crashes on icy roads from Oakura to Eltham between 6am and 9.30am on the 21st. They attended eight accidents on State Highway 3 between Stratford and Inglewood.
Around Taranaki, temperatures plunged to near or below freezing overnight on the 21st/22nd.
Snow / Ice
at
Dawson Falls
Dawson Falls reported heavy snow on the 20th.
Snow / Ice
at
Inglewood
A woman was taken to hospital with broken arms and back pain after her car slid on black ice and flipped in a culvert in Inglewood at about 6:25am on the 21st.
Snow / Ice
at
Midhirst
The owner of Jamieson Recovery in Midhirst said on the morning of the 21st he experienced the worst three-quarters of an hour period in 30 years. They recovered seven vehicles from different crashes, some of which were beyond repair.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Taranaki
A large amount of snow fell on Mount Taranaki.
Manganui Ski Field had heavy snowfall on its lower areas on the 20th.
Manganui Ski Field had 12 cm of new snow on the 21st.
Snow / Ice
at
Oakura
Two people were taken to hospital after a van slid on black ice and crashed into two power poles on the Oakura River bridge at about 7am on the 21st. The woman and man suffered leg and neck injuries.
Hail
at
Okato
Roads near Okato and Opunake were covered in thick hail on the morning of the 20th, which caused a number car accidents.
Hail
at
Opunake
Roads near Okato and Opunake were covered in thick hail on the morning of the 20th, which caused a number car accidents.
Snow / Ice
at
Pouakai Range
Snow fell to at least 300m overnight on the 21st/22nd, coating the Pouakai Ranges.
Hail
at
Puniho
The hail storm at Punihi started at about 10.15am on the 20th.
The hail stones were up to the size of peas.
Hail
at
Rahotu
State Highway 45 between Puniho and Rahotu was covered with a thick coat of hail on the morning of the 20th. Traffic was reduced to a crawl.
Snow / Ice
at
Straford
Stratford experienced a heavy snowfall right down to the town centre at about 8pm on the 20th.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Snow / Ice
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
State Highway 4 between National Park and Raetihi was closed at around 5am on the 21st due to snow and ice. Seven large trucks were stranded on the road from 3am after losing traction on the incline. The road was reopened late morning.
Snow / Ice
at
Desert Road
The Desert Road was closed on the morning of the 20th after heavy snow falls overnight. It was reopened at 9:30am. The road was closed again at 6:30am on the 21st after a truck and trailer unit jackknifed between Waiouru and the Three Sisters, blocking both lanes. The road was reopened late morning. Snow closed the Desert Road again shortly before 7pm on the 23rd.
Landslide
at
Mangaweka
A large slip blocked the northbound lane of State Highway 1, about 2 km south of Mangaweka, on the afternoon of the 21st.
Landslide
at
Pipiriki
Sleet caused a number of slips along Pipiriki Raetihi Road on the 21st.
Snow / Ice
at
Raetihi
Schools in the Raetihi area closed on the 21st because of the snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Rangiwahia Hut
Two sixteen-year-old boys had hypothermia when they were rescued from the Ruahine Ranges on the night of the 23rd, after they got lost while tramping to Rangiwahia Hut. They had strayed off the track in poor weather conditions and became waist-deep in snow at one point. They were found 1 km from the hut.
Multi Hazard
at
Taumarunui
Taumarunui recorded a minimum temperature of -4 degC on the morning of the 22nd.
Multi Hazard
at
Waiouru
Waiouru recorded a minimum temperature of -6 degC on the morning of the 22nd.
A temperature of -4 degC was recorded in Waiouru at 7am on the 22nd.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
Strong, cold southerlies battered the Wellington region on the morning of the 21st.
Wellington recorded a maxmimum temperature of 11 degC on the 20th.
High Wind / Gust
Wind gusts of up to 135 km/hr were recorded on hills around Wellington on the 23rd.
Some homes lost power for several hours on the 23rd, while a few customers were without power until the evening of the 24th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Blue Mountains
On Blue Mountains Road several power poles were damaged on the 23rd and closed the road to all traffic.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Cook Strait
Swells in Cook Strait peaked at 9 m on the 20th.
Some ferries were delayed on the morning of the 20th and two Bluebridge sailings were cancelled. On the 23rd, all Interislander sailings and all Bluebridge sailings were cancelled. About 700 passengers were affected. On the 24th, the Bluebridge sailings in both directions at 8am were cancelled and Interislander sailing were delayed.
There were swells of 4-7 m in Cook Strait on the morning of the 21st.
Cook Strait recorded a peak swell of 13.9 m on the 23rd.
Cook Strait had an average swell of 6.5 m.
High Wind / Gust
In Cook Strait, winds gusted to 60 knots (111 km/hr) on the 23rd.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Evans Bay
At Evans Bay, a 22-foot (6.7-m) sailing boat was ripped from its moorings and smashed against rocks on the 23rd.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Island Bay
Police advised motorists to avoid the roads on Wellington's south coast due to heavy seas washing over the roads and leaving debris behind.
High Wind / Gust
at
Johnsonville
Power was cut briefly to about 1200 homes in Ngauranga, Johnsonville and Plimmerton on the 23rd after branches and debris fell onto power lines.
High Wind / Gust
at
Korokoro
There were reports of winds damaging houses and lifting roofs in Korokoro.
High Wind / Gust
at
Lower Hutt
High winds brought down power lines in Waddington Drive in Naenae on the morning of the 23rd.
Heavy Rain
Lower Hutt recorded 50 mm (5.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 23rd.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Lyall Bay
Moa Point Road was closed on the 23rd due to debris and waves washing over the road.
High Wind / Gust
at
Makara
Meridian Energy had to shut its new Makara wind farm on the 20th because of the high winds. Some of the turbines were out of action for about an hour at the peak of the winds during the morning.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mt Kaukau
Mt Kaukau recorded a peak gust of 148 km/hr.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ngauranga
Power was cut briefly to about 1200 homes in Ngauranga, Johnsonville and Plimmerton on the 23rd after branches and debris fell onto power lines.
High Wind / Gust
at
Petone
High winds brought down power lines in Buick Street in Petone on the morning of the 23rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Plimmerton
Power was cut briefly to about 1200 homes in Ngauranga, Johnsonville and Plimmerton on the 23rd after branches and debris fell onto power lines.
Landslide
at
Rimutaka Hill
A large slip came down on the Wairarapa side of Rimutaka Hill Road, partially blocking both lanes for a time on the 24th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Upper Hutt
There were reports of winds damaging houses and lifting roofs in Trentham.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington Harbour
On the 20th, one Bluebridge ferry had to be assisted by a tug when berthing because of the strong winds in Wellington.
Maritime / Coastal
Boats broke from their moorings in Wellington.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International Airport
At Wellington Airport, many flights in were redirected to Palmerston North on the 23rd, and many flights out of Wellington were cancelled due to rough weather. 28 flights had to be cancelled.
Wellington Airport recorded wind gusts of up to 100 km/hr on the 23rd.
Marlborough
High Wind / Gust
at
Marlborough
Marlborough Lines customers throughout the Marlborough Sounds experiened power cuts on the weekend, mainly due to high winds.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kenepuru Sound
Places from Te Mahia to Kenepuru Head had more than 20 power outages that lasted a couple of seconds from the night of the 22nd to the night of the 24th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tory Channel
Residents on the south side of Tory Channel lost power from 10am on the 24th due to a tree falling on to a power line.
Canterbury
Multi Hazard
at
Canterbury
The southerly blast brought heavy rain and strong south-westerlies to Canterbury.
Snow / Ice
State Highway 73 from Springfield to Arthurs Pass was closed to towing vehicles on the night of the 23rd due to snow.
High Wind / Gust
at
Akaroa
Akaroa recorded average wind speeds of 80 km/hr on the 23rd.
Snow / Ice
at
Birch Hill
A large avalanche came down on Birch Hill in the Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park on the 24th or 25th, an unusual occurrence for this time of year. The avalanche was thought to be a size four, starting 2000m up Birch Hill and travelling about 1200m.
Landslide
at
Christchurch
A 6-metre section of Whitewash Head Road in Scarborough fell away on the morning of the 20th. A combination of bad weather and heavy trucks probably caused the slip. About 16 homes were affected, with residents above the slip restricted to walking access and residents below the slip restricted to light vehicles. The Christchurch City Council paid for a quad-bike taxi and driver to ferry residents to and from their homes.
A temporary road would cost about $135,000 to construct.
In Sumner, about 100 cubic metres of earth and garden fell from the Spur onto the main road at about 12:30am on the 23rd, after continuous rain. The slip took with it 3-4 m of garden, a brick wall and a path linking the houses above the slip.
The slip reduced traffic on the main road to one lane. Two-way traffic was expected to be restored on the evening of the 24th.
Two houses behind the slip were evacuated on the evening of the 23rd as a precaution.
Snow / Ice
Snow was reported to be falling in parts of Christchurch on the 20th, at Christchurch Airport, in Avonhead and in Riccarton.
Multi Hazard
Christchurch recorded a maxmimum temperature of 5 degC on the 20th.
The wind chill lowered the temperature to around -7degC on the 20th.
Hail
Hail fell in Chirstchurch on the 20th.
Heavy Rain
Christchurch recorded 24 mm (2.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 23rd.
Flooding
Minor surface flooding was reported in parts of Christchurch on the 23rd.
High Wind / Gust
High winds brought down power lines on Lower Styx Road at 10pm on the 19th, which took three hours to repair.
Roofing was blown off a city hotel on the 23rd.
Some central city streets were closed while the debris was cleared.
High Wind / Gust
at
Cooptown
High winds felled a tree on State Highway 75 at Cooptown on the morning of the 20th, blocking one lane of the road.
High Wind / Gust
at
Governors Bay
Power was cut to the Governors Bay and Rapaki areas on the night of the 22nd after high winds felled a power pole on the road between the townships at 7:15pm. Power was restored to Governors Bay by 8.40pm.
Multi Hazard
at
Hilltop
The Hilltop Cafe and Bar was forced to close early on the 20th due to the stormy weather, with rain, sleet and light snow.
Multi Hazard
at
Kaikoura
Kaikoura experiended heavy rain and severe southerly gales on the 23rd and 24th.
Maritime / Coastal
High seas strewed debris over roads.
High Wind / Gust
Kaikoura recorded winds of up to 90 km/hr on the 23rd.
Snow / Ice
at
Lake Tekapo
On the 23rd, Tekapo police attended five accidents between the army camp south of the town and State Highway 8.
A woman received minor head injuries after her car rolled near Lilybank Road on the 23rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Rapaki
Power was cut to the Governors Bay and Rapaki areas on the night of the 22nd after high winds felled a power pole on the road between the townships around 7:15pm. Many Rapaki customers were without power until around 1am.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Otago
State Highway 87 between Outram and Middlemarch and State Highway 85 between Palmerston and Kyeburn were closed on the morning of the 20th due to snow. SH87 was reopened by mid-afternoon.
Multi Hazard
Melting snow contributed to high river levels.
Flooding
at
Albert Town
The Clutha River near the Cardrona River confluence was flowing at 647.3 cumecs on the afternoon of the 22nd, exceeding the first flood level warning of 600 cumecs.
Snow / Ice
at
Arrowtown
Arrowtown had a light covering of snow by late afternoon on the 19th.
About 2-5 cm of snow dusted parts of the town on the 20th.
Flooding
at
Balclutha
The Clutha River at Balclutha exceeded its first flood alert level on the 23rd.
Snow / Ice
at
Cardrona Ski Field
Heavy snow fell at Cardrona, making the avalanche danger extremely high.
The skifield had an estimated snowbase of 1m on the 20th. It was thought to be the biggest snowfall for that time of year since 1995.
Flooding
at
Clutha River
A kayaker had to be rescued after he was tipped from his kayak into the fast-flowing, flooded Clutha River on the 22nd. He had begun at Dublin Bay on Lake Wanaka at about 1pm. He was seen in the water clinging to his kayak as he went under the red bridge at Luggate Road at around 4:30pm, and was rescued by helicopter 4km-5km downstream of the bridge.
Snow / Ice
at
Coronet Peak Ski Field
Coronet Peak Ski Area received 50-100 cm of snow in the four days to the 21st.
Snow / Ice
at
Crown Terrace
Regular snow flurries on the crown range made snow chains compulsory on the 20th.
The Crown Terrace, above Arrowtown, received about 15 cm of snow on the 20th.
Multi Hazard
at
Dunedin
Dunedin experienced heavy showers, snow and hail intermittently on the morning of the 20th.
Dunedin City Council sports fields were closed on the 20th. Some golf courses were also closed. Much of Island Park golf course in Waldronville was under water and had been closed since 9th May. The club president said the conditions were the worst he had seen for more than 20 years.
Building maintenance contractors were inundated with calls about leaking roofs, with hail and snow contributing to blocked spouting.
Snow / Ice
Vehicles slid around in treacherous conditions on hill roads in Dunedin on the 20th. There was a series of minor crashes during the morning.
Three Mile Hill Road was closed at around 8:30am on the 20th. It was reopened at about 5:30pm. The Northern Motorway (State Highway 1) was closed to all but light vehicles after some trucks became stuck at Pigeon Flat on the night of the 19th. It was reopened later in the day.
Buses did not run in the hill suburbs of Brockville, Wakari, Halfway Bush and Helensburgh on the morning of the 20th.
St Mary's Kaikorai School, Wakari School and Brockville School closed on the 20th because of snow. Halfway Bush School also closed at 12:30pm.
Hail
Some perspex roofs were smashed by hail.
Heavy Rain
Balaclava recorded 154 mm (15.4 cm) of rain during the month of May up to the 21st. This was just short of the 34-year-old record of 164 mm in 1987.
Balaclava recorded 19 mm (1.9 cm) of rain on the 20th.
Most junior sports events had been cancelled on the 23rd due to wet grounds.
High Wind / Gust
Power was cut to the St Leonards and Burkes area at about 4:55am on the 22nd after strong winds felled a tree on to power lines in St Leonards. Power was restored by 7:55am.
Snow / Ice
at
Lee Stream
Lee Stream School closed on the 20th because of snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Lindis Pass
State Highway 8 through the Lindis Pass was closed at about 4pm on the 19th because of snow. Several vehicles had become stuck on the road. The road was reopened by mid-afternoon on the 20th.
Flooding
at
Long Beach
A Long Beach property was flooded, with water lapping at the front door after continuous rain on the 24th. The water appeared to be seeping from a nearby creek. On another property water had started to seep through the front door.
Snow / Ice
at
Naseby
Naseby received only a few centimetres of snow to ground level on the 20th.
Flooding
at
Ophir
The Manuherikia River at Ophir exceeded its first flood alert level on the 23rd.
Landslide
at
Otakau
A slip came down on Harington Point Road, Otakou, on the afternoon of the 23rd, disrupting traffic for about an hour and a-half.
Flooding
at
Palmerston
The Shag River near Palmerston exceeded its first flood alert level on the 23rd.
Landslide
at
Portobello
Two small slips came down on Portobello Road on the 23rd.
Multi Hazard
at
Queenstown
At Queenstown Airport, several early morning flights on the 20th were delayed because of the weather, and one Qantas flight was diverted to Invercargill.
Snow / Ice
at
Remarkables Ski Field
The Remarkables Ski Area received 45 cm of snow in the 48 hours to the 20th.
The skifield had a snowbase of 1.3 m on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Taieri Plain
Some minor flooding occurred along the Taieri on the 24th.
The Taieri River exceeded its first flood alert level.
Snow / Ice
at
Wanaka
Heavy snowfalls reached well below the base areas of the four ski fields around Wanaka.
Southland
Multi Hazard
at
Edendale
A 68-year-old man was killed in his burning car after a head-on collision of two cars on State Highway 1 between Edendale and Dacre at 9:42am on the 20th. Road conditions at the time were treacherous, with heavy hail falling.
The other male driver involved in the crash was taken to hospital with moderate injuries.
The crash closed State Highway 1 for five hours.
References
- Headline: Southerners in for more cold weather before weekend.
- www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 20 May 2009, 6:17pm.
- Headline: Road falls away, leaving residents trapped out of homes.
- www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 21 May 2009, 5:05pm.
- Headline: Wild weather lashes New Zealand.
- www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 23 May 2009, 6:19pm.
- Headline: Waterspouts make heads spin in Bay.
- www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz, 21 May 2009.
- Headline: Cold blast for South Island.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 7:20am.
- Headline: Emergency kits on standby.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 7:24am.
- Headline: Treacherous conditions in Dunedin.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 10:53am.
- Headline: Snow arrives in Christchurch.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 2:55pm.
- Headline: Winter settles in early.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 6:32am.
- Headline: Ice and snow hazards in central North Island.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 8:32am.
- Headline: Wanaka welcomes early snow.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 11:52am.
- Headline: Desert Rd, SH4 reopened.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 12:16pm.
- Headline: Shivery conditions set to hang around.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 5:44pm.
- Headline: No quick fix to landslide.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 22 May 2009, 7:16am.
- Headline: Chilly morning in central North Island.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 22 May 2009, 8:31am.
- Headline: Wellington buffeted by wild weather.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 10:12am.
- Headline: Weather bites ferry sailings and snow falls.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 1:36pm.
- Headline: Drivers told to stay off Wgtn's south coast.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 4:20pm.
- Headline: Snow closes Desert Rd.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 7:08pm.
- Headline: Boys found safe but cold.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 24 May 2009, 6:36am.
- Headline: More bad weather.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 24 May 2009, 10:00am.
- Headline: Ferries back sailing across Cook Strait.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 24 May 2009, 4:40am.
- Headline: Rain, rain go away.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 25 May 2009, 10:11am.
- Headline: Another icy blast on the way.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:48am.
- Headline: Wintry weather causes disruption.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 11:47am.
- Headline: Road warnings as wintry blast moves up NZ.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 7:56pm.
- Headline: Desert Road closed.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 8:35am.
- Headline: Desert Road and SH4 open again.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 2:41pm.
- Headline: Cold weather expected to remain.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 22 May 2009, 5:52am.
- Headline: Gales expected.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 8:10am.
- Headline: Storm stops Cook Strait ferries, snow closes Desert Road.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 9:50pm.
- Headline: Ferry sailings resume.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 24 May 2009, 9:39pm.
- Headline: Rain heralds end of NI east coat drought.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 25 May 2009, 7:47am.
- Headline: Snow blocks roads in North and South Islands.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA and Newstalk ZB, 20 May 2009, 11:22am.
- Headline: Trucks stranded as cold snap settles in.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: James Ihaka and NZPA, 21 May 2009, 8:10am.
- Headline: Cold weather set to continue into next week.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: James Ihaka and NZPA, 21 May 2009, 4:31pm.
- Headline: Respite from cold likely to be short-lived.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: James Ihaka, Isaac Davison and NZPA, 22 May 2009, 4:00am.
- Headline: High winds halt Cook Strait ferries.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 23 May 2009, 1:54pm.
- Headline: Snow, rain and gales bring winter chill.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Trudie McConnochie, 24 May 2009, 4:00am.
- Headline: Cook Strait ferries resume service.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 24 May 2009, 10:58am.
- Headline: Slip threatens State Highway 2.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 24 May 2009, 1:13pm.
- Headline: Icy clutches descending; be ready.
- www.odt.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: 'Idiotic' drivers ignore Three Mile Hill closure.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Rebecca Fox, 20 May 2009, 9:23am.
- Headline: Skifields buzzing about snowfalls.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Georgia Birnie, 21 May 2009, 4:59am.
- Headline: Hill suburbs affected by wintry blast.
- www.odt.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: People warned to keep off mountains, despite snow.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Marjorie Cook, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Likely to remain in flood.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: David Bruce, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Record May rain keeps roofers busy.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Rebecca Fox, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Skiers 'putting lives at risk'.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Joanne Carroll, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Power cut leaves Harbour residents in dark.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: John Lewis, 22 May 2009, 8:20am.
- Headline: As slow as a wet weekend for city sports clubs.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Steve Hepburn, 23 May 2009, 4:58am.
- Headline: Kayaker rescued from swollen Clutha.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Marjorie Cook, 23 May 2009, 5:01am.
- Headline: South Island road conditions: Saturday, May 23.
- www.odt.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 8:19pm.
- Headline: Extreme weather threatens Dunedin homes.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Edith Schofield, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Relieved kayaker to pay rescue costs.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Marjorie Cook, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Traffic disrupted by Portobello Rd slip.
- www.odt.co.nz, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Heavy frost hits day after snow coats city hills.
- www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz, Source: Anita Moran, 22 May 2009.
- Headline: South Island weather warning to farmers.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Federated Farmers, 20 May 2009, 10:48am.
- Headline: Teenagers rescued from snow-covered ranges.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: New Zealand Police, 24 May 2009, 12:14pm.
- Headline: Two-way traffic expected to be reinstated today.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Christchurch City Council, 24 May 2009, 2:54pm.
- Headline: Cold snap to bring snow, hail and high winds.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Michael Fox, 19 May 2009, 9:16am.
- Headline: Winter bites on country's roads.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press and NZPA, 20 May 2009, 9:44am.
- Headline: Cook Strait swells set to top 12m.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, NZPA and Stuff.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 7:24am.
- Headline: Cold spell to continue through to next week.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 4:38pm.
- Headline: High winds cause chaos.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 23 May 2009, 11:18am.
- Headline: Christchurch houses evacuated.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 23 May 2009, 7:11pm.
- Headline: Historic seaside bungalow out of danger.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Ian Steward, 26 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Cold front blasts away autumn.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: It's going to get rough.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, Britton Broun, 23 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Rescued boys 'lucky not to have died'.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, Katherine Newton, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Wild weather lingers.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, Katherine Newton, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Teens rescued from snow.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Manawatu Standard, Michelle Duff, 25 May 2009, 12:32pm.
- Headline: Dire straits threaten.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Marlborough Express, Michelle Duff, 21 May 2009, 1:00pm.
- Headline: Damage, big seas as storm whips by.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Marlborough Express, Maike van der Heide, 25 May 2009, 12:41pm.
- Headline: Snow expected in Canterbury today.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 20 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Icy blast halts ferries; Tree blocks State Highway 75 - snow updates.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 20 May 2009, 1:10pm.
- Headline: Call for action on collapsed road; Cold weather set to continue.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Ian Steward, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Icy storm tipped to abate today.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Marc Greenhill and Paul Gorman, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Council offers residents quad-bike taxi.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Beck Eleven, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Severe gales for Canterbury.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 22 May 2009, 2:30pm.
- Headline: Gales could endanger trees, power lines.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Paul Gorman and Marc Greenhill, 23 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Cliff face tumbles; residents forced from homes.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Ian Steward, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Early snow falls heavily at skifields.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, Mark Hotton, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Hail may have caused fatal crash on SH1.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, Jared Morgan, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: 'Incredibly rude' group ignores mountain advice.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, Ben Heather, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, Katarina Filipe, 22 May 2009, 5:00am. Snow fans ignoring dangers.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, Kirsty Johnston, 20 May 2009, 3:35pm. Winter wallops Taranaki.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, Kirsty Johnston, 21 May 2009, 5:00am. Wintry blast arrives in Taranaki.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, Ryan Evans, 22 May 2009, 5:00am. Black ice carnage on roads; Motorists lucky to escape serious injury.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Timaru Herald, Katarina Filipe, 19 May 2009, 5:00am. Hail, cold wind on way.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Timaru Herald, Jeff Tollan, 21 May 2009, 5:00am. Unseasonable weather causes huge avalanche on Birch Hill.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Timaru Herald, Matthew Littlewood, 25 May 2009, 5:00am. Five road accidents, one treacherous day.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Waikato Times and NZPA, Jeff Neems, 21 May 2009, 1:00pm. Frosts show winter is here.
- Headline: Early taste of winter for New Zealanders.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB and ONE News, 20 May 2009, 2:42pm.
- Headline: Wintry weather here to stay.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB and ONE News, 21 May 2009, 5:50am.
- Headline: Cold blast set to hang around.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, Newstalk ZB and NZPA, 21 May 2009, 3:47pm.
- Headline: No major weather related incidents overnight.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB and ONE News, 22 May 2009, 6:50am.
- Headline: Seas a hazard on Sth coast Welly roads.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 23 May 2009, 4:28pm.
- Headline: Bad weather causes problems.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA and ONE News, 23 May 2009, 8:43pm.
- Headline: Falling tree blocks SH2 near Napier.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA and ONE News, 24 May 2009, 4:25pm.
- MetService Email Lists
May 2009 New Zealand Cold Snap
(
2009-05-19
)
A cold snap brought cold temperatures, hail and ice to parts of the North Island, with snow in the Central North Island. Snow and high winds were experienced in the South Island. Four people were injured and one killed in traffic accidents on icy roads and two boys had hypothermia when they were resuced from the snow in the Ruahine Ranges.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 6 days - From the 19th to the 24th of May.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 11:42 am 19-May-2009: Heavy snow for Southland and eastern Otago. Severe gales for Banks Peninsula. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Southland and eastern Otago; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Banks Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:40 pm 19-May-2009: Heavy snow for Southland and eastern Otago overnight and during Wednesday. Severe southwest gales for Banks Peninsula overnight tonight. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Southland and eastern Otago; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: Banks Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:48 am 20-May-2009: Snow in Southland and eastern Otago easing this afternoon. Southwest gales about Banks Peninsula easing this morning. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Southland and eastern Otago. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Strong Wind Warnings lifted for Banks Peninsula.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 5:04 pm 20-May-2009: Snow showers in Southland and eastern Otago and severe southwest gales about Banks Peninsula have eased. Some heavy snow expected in the Central North Island tonight. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island north of Hunterville to the summit of the Desert Road, and as far west as Tongariro National Park and Raetihi. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Snowfall Warnings lifted for Southland and eastern Otago.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:07 pm 20-May-2009: Some heavy snow expected in the Central North Island Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island north of Hunterville to the summit of the Desert Road, and as far west as Tongariro National Park and Raetihi.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:02 am 21-May-2009: No further heavy snow expected in the Central North Island and the warning for this area is lifted. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Snowfall Warnings lifted for Central North Island north of Hunterville to the summit of the Desert Road and as far west as Tongariro National Park and Raetihi.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 1:34 pm 22-May-2009: Weekend threat of severe southerly gales from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa, some heavy snow on the Central North Island plateau and spell of heavy rain from Mid Canterbury to Kaikoura coast. Includes HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island, especially Taihape region and near Tongariro National Park; STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa, also Wellington and Marlborough Sounds; and HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: eastern ranges of Canterbury from about the Rakaia Gorge northwards, also Kaikoura ranges.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:00 pm 22-May-2009: Severe southerly gales on Saturday for Wellington and from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa. Heavy snowfalls expected in the Central North Island from Saturday afternoon. Also heavy rain warning for Canterbury and Kaikoura coast and ranges. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa and for Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds; HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island, especially Taihape region and Tongariro National Park; and HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Canterbury north of the Rangitata and for the Kaikoura cost and ranges.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:34 am 23-May-2009: Severe southerly gales from Banks Peninsula to Wellington and Hawke’s Bay spreading to Marlborough Sounds. Heavy snowfalls expected in the Central North Island this afternoon and evening. Also heavy rain expected for ranges from Canterbury to Hawkes Bay. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed coastal areas from Banks Peninsula to Wairarapa and Cape Kidnappers, Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds; HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island, especially Taihape region and Tongariro National Park area; and HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: eastern ranges of Canterbury north of Rangitata River, Kaikoura cost and ranges, Tararua Ranges and ranges of Hawkes Bay.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 7:49 pm 23-May-2009: Severe southerly gales in Wellington, Wairarapa and Marlborough Sounds easing Saturday night. Brief snowfalls in the Central North Island Saturday evening. Also heavy rain in eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa spreading to Hawkes Bay and southern Gisborne during Sunday morning. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: Wellington, coastal Wairarapa, coastal Hawkes Bay south of Cape Kidnappers, and Marlborough Sounds; HEAVY SNOW WARNING for: Central North Island, especially Taihape region and Tongariro National Park area; and HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: eastern ranges of Canterbury north of Rangitata, Kaikoura cost and ranges, Tararua Ranges, eastern hill country of Wairarapa north of Riversdale, Hawkes Bay, Gisborne south of Gisborne City.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:09 am 24-May-2009: Heavy rain today for Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Tararua Ranges, eastern hill country of Wairarapa north of Riversdale, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for: ranges of Canterbury north of Rangitata River, Kaikoura coast and ranges; Heavy Snowfall Warnings lifted for Central North Island; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for: Wellington, coastal Wairarapa, coastal Hawkes Bay south of Cape Kidnappers, and Marlborough Sounds.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:04 pm 24-May-2009: Heavy rain continuing in Gisborne and northern Hawkes Bay into Monday, easing further south overnight Sunday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Tararua Range, eastern hill country of Wairarapa north of Riversdale, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:02 am 25-May-2009: Heavy rain is now easing in Gisborne. Rainfall warning lifted for Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: ranges of Gisborne. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for Tararua Ranges, eastern hill country of Wairarapa north of Riversdale and Hawkes Bay.
A massive front brought a southerly blast to the country from the night of the 19th. A high weather system was situated to the west of the South Island and a low to the east of the North Island. The depression was heading away from the New Zealand on the 22nd, but a small low moved back towards the east coast of the South Island on the night of the 22nd and on the 23rd.
Maritime / Coastal
Heavy seas lashed the east coast of New Zealand, from Banks Peninsula to Hawke's Bay, on the 23rd.
Heavy Rain
at
North Island
Farms from Wairarapa to Wairoa had received 50-60 mm (5.0-6.0 cm) of rain by the evening of the 24th.
Snow / Ice
at
South Island
In the South Island, light snow was reported down to 200m.
Auckland
Multi Hazard
at
Auckland
Auckland recorded a maximum temperature of 12 degC on the 20th.
A temperature of 0.5 degC was recorded in sheltered parts of Auckland at 7am on the 22nd.
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Hamilton
Ruakura recorded a minimum temperature of -0.1 degC overnight on the 20th/21st.
A temperature of -2.4 degC was recorded in Hamilton at 7am on the 22nd.
Multi Hazard
at
Matamata
Matamata recorded a minimum temperature of -2 degC overnight on the 20th/21st.
Multi Hazard
at
Taupo
Taupo recorded a minimum temperature of -3 degC on the morning of the 22nd.
A temperature of -2 degC was recorded in Taupo at 7am on the 22nd.
Multi Hazard
at
Whitianga
A temperature of -0.4 degC was recorded in Whitianga at 7am on the 22nd.
Bay of Plenty
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Tarawera
Snow blanketed Mt Tarawera on the 21st.
Hail
at
Pyes Pa
Light hail fell on a Pyes Pa kiwifruit orchard on the 20th, causing a few patches of minor damage.
Hail
at
Rotorua
A large hail storm on the night of the 20th left around 5 cm of slush between Ngongotaha and Rotorua.
Snow / Ice
Snow fell on the hills around eastern Rotorua overnight on the 20th/21st and there were reports of snow on some roadside spots. Snow blanketed Mt Ngongotaha.
Multi Hazard
Rotorua had a minimum temperature of -1degC overnight on the 20th/21st.
Rotorua had a minimum temperature of -2.5degC overnight on the 21st/22nd.
A temperature of -2 degC was recorded in Rotorua at 7am on the 22nd.
Tornado
at
Tauranga
Up to four waterspouts were viewed off the Mount Maunganui coast, close to Mayor Island, during a 20-minute period from just before 5pm on the 20th.
Lightning
The waterspouts were accompanied by a brief electrical storm, about 10 miles offshore.
Hawke's Bay
Multi Hazard
at
Hastings
A temperature of -2.4 degC was recorded in Hastings at 7am on the 22nd.
Multi Hazard
at
Napier
A temperature of -1.8 degC was recorded in Napier at 7am on the 22nd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tutira
State Highway 2 at Tutira was blocked by a fallen tree on the 24th, which closed the road for at least two hours.
Taranaki
Snow / Ice
at
Taranaki
Police attended at least nine crashes on icy roads from Oakura to Eltham between 6am and 9.30am on the 21st. They attended eight accidents on State Highway 3 between Stratford and Inglewood.
Around Taranaki, temperatures plunged to near or below freezing overnight on the 21st/22nd.
Snow / Ice
at
Dawson Falls
Dawson Falls reported heavy snow on the 20th.
Snow / Ice
at
Inglewood
A woman was taken to hospital with broken arms and back pain after her car slid on black ice and flipped in a culvert in Inglewood at about 6:25am on the 21st.
Snow / Ice
at
Midhirst
The owner of Jamieson Recovery in Midhirst said on the morning of the 21st he experienced the worst three-quarters of an hour period in 30 years. They recovered seven vehicles from different crashes, some of which were beyond repair.
Snow / Ice
at
Mount Taranaki
A large amount of snow fell on Mount Taranaki.
Manganui Ski Field had heavy snowfall on its lower areas on the 20th.
Manganui Ski Field had 12 cm of new snow on the 21st.
Snow / Ice
at
Oakura
Two people were taken to hospital after a van slid on black ice and crashed into two power poles on the Oakura River bridge at about 7am on the 21st. The woman and man suffered leg and neck injuries.
Hail
at
Okato
Roads near Okato and Opunake were covered in thick hail on the morning of the 20th, which caused a number car accidents.
Hail
at
Opunake
Roads near Okato and Opunake were covered in thick hail on the morning of the 20th, which caused a number car accidents.
Snow / Ice
at
Pouakai Range
Snow fell to at least 300m overnight on the 21st/22nd, coating the Pouakai Ranges.
Hail
at
Puniho
The hail storm at Punihi started at about 10.15am on the 20th.
The hail stones were up to the size of peas.
Hail
at
Rahotu
State Highway 45 between Puniho and Rahotu was covered with a thick coat of hail on the morning of the 20th. Traffic was reduced to a crawl.
Snow / Ice
at
Straford
Stratford experienced a heavy snowfall right down to the town centre at about 8pm on the 20th.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Snow / Ice
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
State Highway 4 between National Park and Raetihi was closed at around 5am on the 21st due to snow and ice. Seven large trucks were stranded on the road from 3am after losing traction on the incline. The road was reopened late morning.
Snow / Ice
at
Desert Road
The Desert Road was closed on the morning of the 20th after heavy snow falls overnight. It was reopened at 9:30am. The road was closed again at 6:30am on the 21st after a truck and trailer unit jackknifed between Waiouru and the Three Sisters, blocking both lanes. The road was reopened late morning. Snow closed the Desert Road again shortly before 7pm on the 23rd.
Landslide
at
Mangaweka
A large slip blocked the northbound lane of State Highway 1, about 2 km south of Mangaweka, on the afternoon of the 21st.
Landslide
at
Pipiriki
Sleet caused a number of slips along Pipiriki Raetihi Road on the 21st.
Snow / Ice
at
Raetihi
Schools in the Raetihi area closed on the 21st because of the snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Rangiwahia Hut
Two sixteen-year-old boys had hypothermia when they were rescued from the Ruahine Ranges on the night of the 23rd, after they got lost while tramping to Rangiwahia Hut. They had strayed off the track in poor weather conditions and became waist-deep in snow at one point. They were found 1 km from the hut.
Multi Hazard
at
Taumarunui
Taumarunui recorded a minimum temperature of -4 degC on the morning of the 22nd.
Multi Hazard
at
Waiouru
Waiouru recorded a minimum temperature of -6 degC on the morning of the 22nd.
A temperature of -4 degC was recorded in Waiouru at 7am on the 22nd.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
Strong, cold southerlies battered the Wellington region on the morning of the 21st.
Wellington recorded a maxmimum temperature of 11 degC on the 20th.
High Wind / Gust
Wind gusts of up to 135 km/hr were recorded on hills around Wellington on the 23rd.
Some homes lost power for several hours on the 23rd, while a few customers were without power until the evening of the 24th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Blue Mountains
On Blue Mountains Road several power poles were damaged on the 23rd and closed the road to all traffic.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Cook Strait
Swells in Cook Strait peaked at 9 m on the 20th.
Some ferries were delayed on the morning of the 20th and two Bluebridge sailings were cancelled. On the 23rd, all Interislander sailings and all Bluebridge sailings were cancelled. About 700 passengers were affected. On the 24th, the Bluebridge sailings in both directions at 8am were cancelled and Interislander sailing were delayed.
There were swells of 4-7 m in Cook Strait on the morning of the 21st.
Cook Strait recorded a peak swell of 13.9 m on the 23rd.
Cook Strait had an average swell of 6.5 m.
High Wind / Gust
In Cook Strait, winds gusted to 60 knots (111 km/hr) on the 23rd.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Evans Bay
At Evans Bay, a 22-foot (6.7-m) sailing boat was ripped from its moorings and smashed against rocks on the 23rd.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Island Bay
Police advised motorists to avoid the roads on Wellington's south coast due to heavy seas washing over the roads and leaving debris behind.
High Wind / Gust
at
Johnsonville
Power was cut briefly to about 1200 homes in Ngauranga, Johnsonville and Plimmerton on the 23rd after branches and debris fell onto power lines.
High Wind / Gust
at
Korokoro
There were reports of winds damaging houses and lifting roofs in Korokoro.
High Wind / Gust
at
Lower Hutt
High winds brought down power lines in Waddington Drive in Naenae on the morning of the 23rd.
Heavy Rain
Lower Hutt recorded 50 mm (5.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 23rd.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Lyall Bay
Moa Point Road was closed on the 23rd due to debris and waves washing over the road.
High Wind / Gust
at
Makara
Meridian Energy had to shut its new Makara wind farm on the 20th because of the high winds. Some of the turbines were out of action for about an hour at the peak of the winds during the morning.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mt Kaukau
Mt Kaukau recorded a peak gust of 148 km/hr.
High Wind / Gust
at
Ngauranga
Power was cut briefly to about 1200 homes in Ngauranga, Johnsonville and Plimmerton on the 23rd after branches and debris fell onto power lines.
High Wind / Gust
at
Petone
High winds brought down power lines in Buick Street in Petone on the morning of the 23rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Plimmerton
Power was cut briefly to about 1200 homes in Ngauranga, Johnsonville and Plimmerton on the 23rd after branches and debris fell onto power lines.
Landslide
at
Rimutaka Hill
A large slip came down on the Wairarapa side of Rimutaka Hill Road, partially blocking both lanes for a time on the 24th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Upper Hutt
There were reports of winds damaging houses and lifting roofs in Trentham.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington Harbour
On the 20th, one Bluebridge ferry had to be assisted by a tug when berthing because of the strong winds in Wellington.
Maritime / Coastal
Boats broke from their moorings in Wellington.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International Airport
At Wellington Airport, many flights in were redirected to Palmerston North on the 23rd, and many flights out of Wellington were cancelled due to rough weather. 28 flights had to be cancelled.
Wellington Airport recorded wind gusts of up to 100 km/hr on the 23rd.
Marlborough
High Wind / Gust
at
Marlborough
Marlborough Lines customers throughout the Marlborough Sounds experiened power cuts on the weekend, mainly due to high winds.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kenepuru Sound
Places from Te Mahia to Kenepuru Head had more than 20 power outages that lasted a couple of seconds from the night of the 22nd to the night of the 24th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tory Channel
Residents on the south side of Tory Channel lost power from 10am on the 24th due to a tree falling on to a power line.
Canterbury
Multi Hazard
at
Canterbury
The southerly blast brought heavy rain and strong south-westerlies to Canterbury.
Snow / Ice
State Highway 73 from Springfield to Arthurs Pass was closed to towing vehicles on the night of the 23rd due to snow.
High Wind / Gust
at
Akaroa
Akaroa recorded average wind speeds of 80 km/hr on the 23rd.
Snow / Ice
at
Birch Hill
A large avalanche came down on Birch Hill in the Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park on the 24th or 25th, an unusual occurrence for this time of year. The avalanche was thought to be a size four, starting 2000m up Birch Hill and travelling about 1200m.
Landslide
at
Christchurch
A 6-metre section of Whitewash Head Road in Scarborough fell away on the morning of the 20th. A combination of bad weather and heavy trucks probably caused the slip. About 16 homes were affected, with residents above the slip restricted to walking access and residents below the slip restricted to light vehicles. The Christchurch City Council paid for a quad-bike taxi and driver to ferry residents to and from their homes.
A temporary road would cost about $135,000 to construct.
In Sumner, about 100 cubic metres of earth and garden fell from the Spur onto the main road at about 12:30am on the 23rd, after continuous rain. The slip took with it 3-4 m of garden, a brick wall and a path linking the houses above the slip.
The slip reduced traffic on the main road to one lane. Two-way traffic was expected to be restored on the evening of the 24th.
Two houses behind the slip were evacuated on the evening of the 23rd as a precaution.
Snow / Ice
Snow was reported to be falling in parts of Christchurch on the 20th, at Christchurch Airport, in Avonhead and in Riccarton.
Multi Hazard
Christchurch recorded a maxmimum temperature of 5 degC on the 20th.
The wind chill lowered the temperature to around -7degC on the 20th.
Hail
Hail fell in Chirstchurch on the 20th.
Heavy Rain
Christchurch recorded 24 mm (2.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 23rd.
Flooding
Minor surface flooding was reported in parts of Christchurch on the 23rd.
High Wind / Gust
High winds brought down power lines on Lower Styx Road at 10pm on the 19th, which took three hours to repair.
Roofing was blown off a city hotel on the 23rd.
Some central city streets were closed while the debris was cleared.
High Wind / Gust
at
Cooptown
High winds felled a tree on State Highway 75 at Cooptown on the morning of the 20th, blocking one lane of the road.
High Wind / Gust
at
Governors Bay
Power was cut to the Governors Bay and Rapaki areas on the night of the 22nd after high winds felled a power pole on the road between the townships at 7:15pm. Power was restored to Governors Bay by 8.40pm.
Multi Hazard
at
Hilltop
The Hilltop Cafe and Bar was forced to close early on the 20th due to the stormy weather, with rain, sleet and light snow.
Multi Hazard
at
Kaikoura
Kaikoura experiended heavy rain and severe southerly gales on the 23rd and 24th.
Maritime / Coastal
High seas strewed debris over roads.
High Wind / Gust
Kaikoura recorded winds of up to 90 km/hr on the 23rd.
Snow / Ice
at
Lake Tekapo
On the 23rd, Tekapo police attended five accidents between the army camp south of the town and State Highway 8.
A woman received minor head injuries after her car rolled near Lilybank Road on the 23rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Rapaki
Power was cut to the Governors Bay and Rapaki areas on the night of the 22nd after high winds felled a power pole on the road between the townships around 7:15pm. Many Rapaki customers were without power until around 1am.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Otago
State Highway 87 between Outram and Middlemarch and State Highway 85 between Palmerston and Kyeburn were closed on the morning of the 20th due to snow. SH87 was reopened by mid-afternoon.
Multi Hazard
Melting snow contributed to high river levels.
Flooding
at
Albert Town
The Clutha River near the Cardrona River confluence was flowing at 647.3 cumecs on the afternoon of the 22nd, exceeding the first flood level warning of 600 cumecs.
Snow / Ice
at
Arrowtown
Arrowtown had a light covering of snow by late afternoon on the 19th.
About 2-5 cm of snow dusted parts of the town on the 20th.
Flooding
at
Balclutha
The Clutha River at Balclutha exceeded its first flood alert level on the 23rd.
Snow / Ice
at
Cardrona Ski Field
Heavy snow fell at Cardrona, making the avalanche danger extremely high.
The skifield had an estimated snowbase of 1m on the 20th. It was thought to be the biggest snowfall for that time of year since 1995.
Flooding
at
Clutha River
A kayaker had to be rescued after he was tipped from his kayak into the fast-flowing, flooded Clutha River on the 22nd. He had begun at Dublin Bay on Lake Wanaka at about 1pm. He was seen in the water clinging to his kayak as he went under the red bridge at Luggate Road at around 4:30pm, and was rescued by helicopter 4km-5km downstream of the bridge.
Snow / Ice
at
Coronet Peak Ski Field
Coronet Peak Ski Area received 50-100 cm of snow in the four days to the 21st.
Snow / Ice
at
Crown Terrace
Regular snow flurries on the crown range made snow chains compulsory on the 20th.
The Crown Terrace, above Arrowtown, received about 15 cm of snow on the 20th.
Multi Hazard
at
Dunedin
Dunedin experienced heavy showers, snow and hail intermittently on the morning of the 20th.
Dunedin City Council sports fields were closed on the 20th. Some golf courses were also closed. Much of Island Park golf course in Waldronville was under water and had been closed since 9th May. The club president said the conditions were the worst he had seen for more than 20 years.
Building maintenance contractors were inundated with calls about leaking roofs, with hail and snow contributing to blocked spouting.
Snow / Ice
Vehicles slid around in treacherous conditions on hill roads in Dunedin on the 20th. There was a series of minor crashes during the morning.
Three Mile Hill Road was closed at around 8:30am on the 20th. It was reopened at about 5:30pm. The Northern Motorway (State Highway 1) was closed to all but light vehicles after some trucks became stuck at Pigeon Flat on the night of the 19th. It was reopened later in the day.
Buses did not run in the hill suburbs of Brockville, Wakari, Halfway Bush and Helensburgh on the morning of the 20th.
St Mary's Kaikorai School, Wakari School and Brockville School closed on the 20th because of snow. Halfway Bush School also closed at 12:30pm.
Hail
Some perspex roofs were smashed by hail.
Heavy Rain
Balaclava recorded 154 mm (15.4 cm) of rain during the month of May up to the 21st. This was just short of the 34-year-old record of 164 mm in 1987.
Balaclava recorded 19 mm (1.9 cm) of rain on the 20th.
Most junior sports events had been cancelled on the 23rd due to wet grounds.
High Wind / Gust
Power was cut to the St Leonards and Burkes area at about 4:55am on the 22nd after strong winds felled a tree on to power lines in St Leonards. Power was restored by 7:55am.
Snow / Ice
at
Lee Stream
Lee Stream School closed on the 20th because of snow.
Snow / Ice
at
Lindis Pass
State Highway 8 through the Lindis Pass was closed at about 4pm on the 19th because of snow. Several vehicles had become stuck on the road. The road was reopened by mid-afternoon on the 20th.
Flooding
at
Long Beach
A Long Beach property was flooded, with water lapping at the front door after continuous rain on the 24th. The water appeared to be seeping from a nearby creek. On another property water had started to seep through the front door.
Snow / Ice
at
Naseby
Naseby received only a few centimetres of snow to ground level on the 20th.
Flooding
at
Ophir
The Manuherikia River at Ophir exceeded its first flood alert level on the 23rd.
Landslide
at
Otakau
A slip came down on Harington Point Road, Otakou, on the afternoon of the 23rd, disrupting traffic for about an hour and a-half.
Flooding
at
Palmerston
The Shag River near Palmerston exceeded its first flood alert level on the 23rd.
Landslide
at
Portobello
Two small slips came down on Portobello Road on the 23rd.
Multi Hazard
at
Queenstown
At Queenstown Airport, several early morning flights on the 20th were delayed because of the weather, and one Qantas flight was diverted to Invercargill.
Snow / Ice
at
Remarkables Ski Field
The Remarkables Ski Area received 45 cm of snow in the 48 hours to the 20th.
The skifield had a snowbase of 1.3 m on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Taieri Plain
Some minor flooding occurred along the Taieri on the 24th.
The Taieri River exceeded its first flood alert level.
Snow / Ice
at
Wanaka
Heavy snowfalls reached well below the base areas of the four ski fields around Wanaka.
Southland
Multi Hazard
at
Edendale
A 68-year-old man was killed in his burning car after a head-on collision of two cars on State Highway 1 between Edendale and Dacre at 9:42am on the 20th. Road conditions at the time were treacherous, with heavy hail falling.
The other male driver involved in the crash was taken to hospital with moderate injuries.
The crash closed State Highway 1 for five hours.
References
- Headline: Southerners in for more cold weather before weekend.
- www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 20 May 2009, 6:17pm.
- Headline: Road falls away, leaving residents trapped out of homes.
- www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 21 May 2009, 5:05pm.
- Headline: Wild weather lashes New Zealand.
- www.3news.co.nz, Source: 3 News, 23 May 2009, 6:19pm.
- Headline: Waterspouts make heads spin in Bay.
- www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz, 21 May 2009.
- Headline: Cold blast for South Island.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 7:20am.
- Headline: Emergency kits on standby.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 7:24am.
- Headline: Treacherous conditions in Dunedin.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 10:53am.
- Headline: Snow arrives in Christchurch.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 2:55pm.
- Headline: Winter settles in early.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 6:32am.
- Headline: Ice and snow hazards in central North Island.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 8:32am.
- Headline: Wanaka welcomes early snow.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 11:52am.
- Headline: Desert Rd, SH4 reopened.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 12:16pm.
- Headline: Shivery conditions set to hang around.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 5:44pm.
- Headline: No quick fix to landslide.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 22 May 2009, 7:16am.
- Headline: Chilly morning in central North Island.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 22 May 2009, 8:31am.
- Headline: Wellington buffeted by wild weather.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 10:12am.
- Headline: Weather bites ferry sailings and snow falls.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 1:36pm.
- Headline: Drivers told to stay off Wgtn's south coast.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 4:20pm.
- Headline: Snow closes Desert Rd.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 7:08pm.
- Headline: Boys found safe but cold.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 24 May 2009, 6:36am.
- Headline: More bad weather.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 24 May 2009, 10:00am.
- Headline: Ferries back sailing across Cook Strait.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 24 May 2009, 4:40am.
- Headline: Rain, rain go away.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 25 May 2009, 10:11am.
- Headline: Another icy blast on the way.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:48am.
- Headline: Wintry weather causes disruption.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 11:47am.
- Headline: Road warnings as wintry blast moves up NZ.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 7:56pm.
- Headline: Desert Road closed.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 8:35am.
- Headline: Desert Road and SH4 open again.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 2:41pm.
- Headline: Cold weather expected to remain.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 22 May 2009, 5:52am.
- Headline: Gales expected.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 8:10am.
- Headline: Storm stops Cook Strait ferries, snow closes Desert Road.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 9:50pm.
- Headline: Ferry sailings resume.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 24 May 2009, 9:39pm.
- Headline: Rain heralds end of NI east coat drought.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 25 May 2009, 7:47am.
- Headline: Snow blocks roads in North and South Islands.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA and Newstalk ZB, 20 May 2009, 11:22am.
- Headline: Trucks stranded as cold snap settles in.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: James Ihaka and NZPA, 21 May 2009, 8:10am.
- Headline: Cold weather set to continue into next week.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: James Ihaka and NZPA, 21 May 2009, 4:31pm.
- Headline: Respite from cold likely to be short-lived.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: James Ihaka, Isaac Davison and NZPA, 22 May 2009, 4:00am.
- Headline: High winds halt Cook Strait ferries.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 23 May 2009, 1:54pm.
- Headline: Snow, rain and gales bring winter chill.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Trudie McConnochie, 24 May 2009, 4:00am.
- Headline: Cook Strait ferries resume service.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 24 May 2009, 10:58am.
- Headline: Slip threatens State Highway 2.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 24 May 2009, 1:13pm.
- Headline: Icy clutches descending; be ready.
- www.odt.co.nz, 20 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: 'Idiotic' drivers ignore Three Mile Hill closure.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Rebecca Fox, 20 May 2009, 9:23am.
- Headline: Skifields buzzing about snowfalls.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Georgia Birnie, 21 May 2009, 4:59am.
- Headline: Hill suburbs affected by wintry blast.
- www.odt.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: People warned to keep off mountains, despite snow.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Marjorie Cook, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Likely to remain in flood.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: David Bruce, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Record May rain keeps roofers busy.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Rebecca Fox, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Skiers 'putting lives at risk'.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Joanne Carroll, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Power cut leaves Harbour residents in dark.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: John Lewis, 22 May 2009, 8:20am.
- Headline: As slow as a wet weekend for city sports clubs.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Steve Hepburn, 23 May 2009, 4:58am.
- Headline: Kayaker rescued from swollen Clutha.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Marjorie Cook, 23 May 2009, 5:01am.
- Headline: South Island road conditions: Saturday, May 23.
- www.odt.co.nz, 23 May 2009, 8:19pm.
- Headline: Extreme weather threatens Dunedin homes.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Edith Schofield, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Relieved kayaker to pay rescue costs.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Marjorie Cook, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Traffic disrupted by Portobello Rd slip.
- www.odt.co.nz, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Heavy frost hits day after snow coats city hills.
- www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz, Source: Anita Moran, 22 May 2009.
- Headline: South Island weather warning to farmers.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Federated Farmers, 20 May 2009, 10:48am.
- Headline: Teenagers rescued from snow-covered ranges.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: New Zealand Police, 24 May 2009, 12:14pm.
- Headline: Two-way traffic expected to be reinstated today.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Christchurch City Council, 24 May 2009, 2:54pm.
- Headline: Cold snap to bring snow, hail and high winds.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Michael Fox, 19 May 2009, 9:16am.
- Headline: Winter bites on country's roads.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press and NZPA, 20 May 2009, 9:44am.
- Headline: Cook Strait swells set to top 12m.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, NZPA and Stuff.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 7:24am.
- Headline: Cold spell to continue through to next week.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 21 May 2009, 4:38pm.
- Headline: High winds cause chaos.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 23 May 2009, 11:18am.
- Headline: Christchurch houses evacuated.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 23 May 2009, 7:11pm.
- Headline: Historic seaside bungalow out of danger.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Ian Steward, 26 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Cold front blasts away autumn.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: It's going to get rough.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, Britton Broun, 23 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Rescued boys 'lucky not to have died'.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, Katherine Newton, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Wild weather lingers.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Dominion Post, Katherine Newton, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Teens rescued from snow.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Manawatu Standard, Michelle Duff, 25 May 2009, 12:32pm.
- Headline: Dire straits threaten.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Marlborough Express, Michelle Duff, 21 May 2009, 1:00pm.
- Headline: Damage, big seas as storm whips by.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Marlborough Express, Maike van der Heide, 25 May 2009, 12:41pm.
- Headline: Snow expected in Canterbury today.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 20 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Icy blast halts ferries; Tree blocks State Highway 75 - snow updates.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 20 May 2009, 1:10pm.
- Headline: Call for action on collapsed road; Cold weather set to continue.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Ian Steward, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Icy storm tipped to abate today.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Marc Greenhill and Paul Gorman, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Council offers residents quad-bike taxi.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Beck Eleven, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Severe gales for Canterbury.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 22 May 2009, 2:30pm.
- Headline: Gales could endanger trees, power lines.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Paul Gorman and Marc Greenhill, 23 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Cliff face tumbles; residents forced from homes.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, Ian Steward, 25 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Early snow falls heavily at skifields.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, Mark Hotton, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Hail may have caused fatal crash on SH1.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, Jared Morgan, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: 'Incredibly rude' group ignores mountain advice.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, Ben Heather, 22 May 2009, 5:00am.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, Katarina Filipe, 22 May 2009, 5:00am. Snow fans ignoring dangers.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, Kirsty Johnston, 20 May 2009, 3:35pm. Winter wallops Taranaki.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, Kirsty Johnston, 21 May 2009, 5:00am. Wintry blast arrives in Taranaki.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, Ryan Evans, 22 May 2009, 5:00am. Black ice carnage on roads; Motorists lucky to escape serious injury.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Timaru Herald, Katarina Filipe, 19 May 2009, 5:00am. Hail, cold wind on way.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Timaru Herald, Jeff Tollan, 21 May 2009, 5:00am. Unseasonable weather causes huge avalanche on Birch Hill.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Timaru Herald, Matthew Littlewood, 25 May 2009, 5:00am. Five road accidents, one treacherous day.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Waikato Times and NZPA, Jeff Neems, 21 May 2009, 1:00pm. Frosts show winter is here.
- Headline: Early taste of winter for New Zealanders.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB and ONE News, 20 May 2009, 2:42pm.
- Headline: Wintry weather here to stay.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB and ONE News, 21 May 2009, 5:50am.
- Headline: Cold blast set to hang around.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, Newstalk ZB and NZPA, 21 May 2009, 3:47pm.
- Headline: No major weather related incidents overnight.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: Newstalk ZB and ONE News, 22 May 2009, 6:50am.
- Headline: Seas a hazard on Sth coast Welly roads.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 23 May 2009, 4:28pm.
- Headline: Bad weather causes problems.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA and ONE News, 23 May 2009, 8:43pm.
- Headline: Falling tree blocks SH2 near Napier.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA and ONE News, 24 May 2009, 4:25pm.
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