NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
November 1949 Hawke's Bay Hail ( 1949-11-05 )
Hastings was struck by an electrical storm with huge hail stones, which caused damage to crops and properties. Wellington also experienced high winds and seas, and a tornado was seen in Auckland.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 2 days - From the 5th to the 6th of November.
Auckland
Tornado
at
Auckland
A tornado developed above the sea to the south-east of Auckland at 1:45pm on the 5th.
The tornado spent 15 minutes hovering.
Hawke's Bay
Lightning
at
Hastings
Duration: - The worst of the storm was over in 30 minutes.
On the 6th, Hastings experienced its worst electrical storm in living memory.
The worst of the lightning and thunder shook houses.
Hail
The electrical storm was accompanied by hail.
The hail stones had an average diameter of 1.75 in (4.4 cm) and the size of pigeon eggs. Some were of golf ball size, and some and were more than 60 mm (6.0 cm) in diameter, or the size of a tennis ball.
The hail fell for 20 minutes.
Poultry were killed by the hail.
Extensive damage was done to fruit and vegetable crops. Pip and stone fruits were hacked. Vegetable crops such as lettuce, peas, tomatoes, cabbages and onions were badly battered about. About 20 fruit growers were seriously affected, with damage to their crops varying between 75% to 100%.
Extensive damage was done to flower gardens and glasshouses. Foliage was torn from trees. A glasshouse on Karamu Road had 100 of its glass panes smashed.
Losses would run into thousands of pounds.
Orchards in Pakowhai, Twyford and Nottingly Road escaped the storm.
The hail smashed 11 windows in a Windsor Park housing block.
At Windsor Nurseries, houses were reduced to their framework and tomato crops were destroyed.
One owner on Grove Road lost roofing glass off two glasshouses and 1700 tomato plants ready for picking.
House roofs leaked in many parts of town as weaknesses developed under the weight of ice.
Flooding
A family in a state house in Albert Street were evacuated due to interior flooding.
Other houses were flooded to some extent through hail and the rain which followed.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
A violent southerly storm lashed Wellington on the 6th.
Damage was widespread but not serious.
High Wind / Gust
Wellington recorded winds of up to 69 mph (111 km/hr) on the 6th.
Power and telegraph poles were blown over. Several suburbs were without electric power for 40 minutes.
Fences, verandahs and roofing iron were lifted and gardens were flattened.
High Wind / Gust
at
Evans Bay
A 30-foot (9.1-metre) launch was holed when blown against concrete breastwork at Evans Bay.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Wellington Harbour
There were high seas in Wellington Harbour on the 6th.
A dinghy, possibly with two men on board, last seen in drifting in the Harbour had not been traced.
References
- Catalogue of Severe Hail Storms, 1924-1986 and 1991-2006. Source: Neale.
- Headline: Dinghy with two men reported carried away by storm.
- The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Havoc wrought by hail.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Houses evacuated and others damaged by leaking roofs.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Incipient tornado seen near Auckland.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Twenty orchardists on seriously affected list.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Winds up to 69 miles an hour in Wellington storm.
- The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
November 1949 Hawke's Bay Hail ( 1949-11-05 )
Hastings was struck by an electrical storm with huge hail stones, which caused damage to crops and properties. Wellington also experienced high winds and seas, and a tornado was seen in Auckland.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 2 days - From the 5th to the 6th of November.
Auckland
Tornado
at
Auckland
A tornado developed above the sea to the south-east of Auckland at 1:45pm on the 5th.
The tornado spent 15 minutes hovering.
Hawke's Bay
Lightning
at
Hastings
Duration: - The worst of the storm was over in 30 minutes.
On the 6th, Hastings experienced its worst electrical storm in living memory.
The worst of the lightning and thunder shook houses.
Hail
The electrical storm was accompanied by hail.
The hail stones had an average diameter of 1.75 in (4.4 cm) and the size of pigeon eggs. Some were of golf ball size, and some and were more than 60 mm (6.0 cm) in diameter, or the size of a tennis ball.
The hail fell for 20 minutes.
Poultry were killed by the hail.
Extensive damage was done to fruit and vegetable crops. Pip and stone fruits were hacked. Vegetable crops such as lettuce, peas, tomatoes, cabbages and onions were badly battered about. About 20 fruit growers were seriously affected, with damage to their crops varying between 75% to 100%.
Extensive damage was done to flower gardens and glasshouses. Foliage was torn from trees. A glasshouse on Karamu Road had 100 of its glass panes smashed.
Losses would run into thousands of pounds.
Orchards in Pakowhai, Twyford and Nottingly Road escaped the storm.
The hail smashed 11 windows in a Windsor Park housing block.
At Windsor Nurseries, houses were reduced to their framework and tomato crops were destroyed.
One owner on Grove Road lost roofing glass off two glasshouses and 1700 tomato plants ready for picking.
House roofs leaked in many parts of town as weaknesses developed under the weight of ice.
Flooding
A family in a state house in Albert Street were evacuated due to interior flooding.
Other houses were flooded to some extent through hail and the rain which followed.
Wellington
Multi Hazard
at
Wellington
A violent southerly storm lashed Wellington on the 6th.
Damage was widespread but not serious.
High Wind / Gust
Wellington recorded winds of up to 69 mph (111 km/hr) on the 6th.
Power and telegraph poles were blown over. Several suburbs were without electric power for 40 minutes.
Fences, verandahs and roofing iron were lifted and gardens were flattened.
High Wind / Gust
at
Evans Bay
A 30-foot (9.1-metre) launch was holed when blown against concrete breastwork at Evans Bay.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Wellington Harbour
There were high seas in Wellington Harbour on the 6th.
A dinghy, possibly with two men on board, last seen in drifting in the Harbour had not been traced.
References
- Catalogue of Severe Hail Storms, 1924-1986 and 1991-2006. Source: Neale.
- Headline: Dinghy with two men reported carried away by storm.
- The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Havoc wrought by hail.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Houses evacuated and others damaged by leaking roofs.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Incipient tornado seen near Auckland.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Twenty orchardists on seriously affected list.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.
- Headline: Winds up to 69 miles an hour in Wellington storm.
- The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 7 November 1949.