NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
November 1963 New Zealand Storm
(
1963-11-06
)
There were high winds in Wellington and flooding in the West Coast. Lake Rotorua was lashed by winds and rain and four people were drowned in a boating tragedy.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 6th to the 9th of November 1963.
Bay of Plenty
Multi Hazard
at
Rotorua
Lake Rotorua was lashed by winds and rain on the 6th of November.
Two men, aged 40 and 19, and two women, both aged about 19, were believed to have drowned in a boating tragedy on Lake Rotorua. All were believed to be passengers on an 18 ft cabin cruiser.
Wellington
High Wind / Gust
at
Lower Hutt
The roof of the Lower Hutt City Corporations grandstand was lifted by the wind.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington city
There was a northerly gale in Wellington on the 8th.
Roofs were ripped off.
Communications were disrupted.
Boats were torn from moorings.
Wellington airport was closed all day.
There was a power line failure in the Taita area for 20 minutes.
The iron roof was blown from a block at the new Eastern Suburbs Intermediate College at Evans Bay.
Tasman-Nelson
Flooding
at
Aorere River
Aorere River had a peak discharge of 59,500 cusecs (1685 cumecs) at the Rockville Bridge on the 8th, from a catchment area of 228 sq miles (591 km^2).
West Coast
Multi Hazard
at
West Coast
Duration: 4 days - There was heavy rain, hail and lightning across the West Coast from the 6th to the 9th of November.
Flooding
There was major flooding in the Buller and Grey districts.
Stock losses were severe in Umere and Arapito Valleys. Sheep, cattle and pigs were all lost.
Landslide
A large slip at Riordans Creek closed Lewis Pass. About 2000 tonnes of material had to be removed from the road.
Flooding
at
Ahaura River
Ahaura River rose to a peak height of 3.3 m above normal.
Heavy Rain
at
Blackball
Blackball recorded 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Cobden
Houses were completely surrounded by water.
Water was knee-deep in places.
The fence of one Marlborough Street home was completely underwater.
The grocery business invaded by water.
The Omoto Road approach to the Cobden bridge was underwater.
Flooding
at
Crushington
A woman and four children were trapped inside their home which was threatened by the Inangahua River.
Flooding
at
Grey River
Grey River reached a height of 5.6 m on the gauge (4.5 m above normal) on the 6th. This was the highest level since the flood of 1958.
The Grey River was flowing at 4.5 m/s (16.2 km/hr).
Grey River had an estimated peak discharge of 5663 cumecs.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 101 mm (10.1 cm) of rain in 36 hours.
Karoro, a suburb of Greymouth, recorded 66 mm (6.6 cm) of rain in five hours.
Flooding
Water was lying several inches deep across roads and footpaths.
Flooding
at
Karamea
Heavy stock losses were feared in the area following flooding cause by torrential rain.
Flooding
at
Rotomanu
Heavy rain in the back country caused flooding in Rotomanu.
Flooding
at
Seddonville
Two families at Seddonville were evacuated by boat. Water was one metre deep in one of the houses.
Flooding
at
Te Kinga
Heavy rain in the back country caused flooding in Te Kinga.
References
- Ben, J.L. (1990). A Chronology of Flooding on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand 1846-1990.
- Hydrology Annual, No. 15, 1967, Part 1, A.R. Shearer, 1970, Government Printer, Wellington, Water and Soil Division, New Zealand
- Owen, R. E. (1965). Hydrology Annual, No.11, 1963. Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council. Wellington, NZ: The Ministry of Works.
- Headline: Four Drown When Launch Disappeared On Lake.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 7 November 1963.
- Headline: Heavy Rain Causes Localised Flooding.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1963.
- Headline: Stock Losses Feared In Karamea
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1963.
- Headline: Rainwater sweeps through streets of town, this afternoon.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1963.
- Headline: Vicious Gale Causes Damage In Capital.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1963.
November 1963 New Zealand Storm
(
1963-11-06
)
There were high winds in Wellington and flooding in the West Coast. Lake Rotorua was lashed by winds and rain and four people were drowned in a boating tragedy.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 6th to the 9th of November 1963.
Bay of Plenty
Multi Hazard
at
Rotorua
Lake Rotorua was lashed by winds and rain on the 6th of November.
Two men, aged 40 and 19, and two women, both aged about 19, were believed to have drowned in a boating tragedy on Lake Rotorua. All were believed to be passengers on an 18 ft cabin cruiser.
Wellington
High Wind / Gust
at
Lower Hutt
The roof of the Lower Hutt City Corporations grandstand was lifted by the wind.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington city
There was a northerly gale in Wellington on the 8th.
Roofs were ripped off.
Communications were disrupted.
Boats were torn from moorings.
Wellington airport was closed all day.
There was a power line failure in the Taita area for 20 minutes.
The iron roof was blown from a block at the new Eastern Suburbs Intermediate College at Evans Bay.
Tasman-Nelson
Flooding
at
Aorere River
Aorere River had a peak discharge of 59,500 cusecs (1685 cumecs) at the Rockville Bridge on the 8th, from a catchment area of 228 sq miles (591 km^2).
West Coast
Multi Hazard
at
West Coast
Duration: 4 days - There was heavy rain, hail and lightning across the West Coast from the 6th to the 9th of November.
Flooding
There was major flooding in the Buller and Grey districts.
Stock losses were severe in Umere and Arapito Valleys. Sheep, cattle and pigs were all lost.
Landslide
A large slip at Riordans Creek closed Lewis Pass. About 2000 tonnes of material had to be removed from the road.
Flooding
at
Ahaura River
Ahaura River rose to a peak height of 3.3 m above normal.
Heavy Rain
at
Blackball
Blackball recorded 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Cobden
Houses were completely surrounded by water.
Water was knee-deep in places.
The fence of one Marlborough Street home was completely underwater.
The grocery business invaded by water.
The Omoto Road approach to the Cobden bridge was underwater.
Flooding
at
Crushington
A woman and four children were trapped inside their home which was threatened by the Inangahua River.
Flooding
at
Grey River
Grey River reached a height of 5.6 m on the gauge (4.5 m above normal) on the 6th. This was the highest level since the flood of 1958.
The Grey River was flowing at 4.5 m/s (16.2 km/hr).
Grey River had an estimated peak discharge of 5663 cumecs.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 101 mm (10.1 cm) of rain in 36 hours.
Karoro, a suburb of Greymouth, recorded 66 mm (6.6 cm) of rain in five hours.
Flooding
Water was lying several inches deep across roads and footpaths.
Flooding
at
Karamea
Heavy stock losses were feared in the area following flooding cause by torrential rain.
Flooding
at
Rotomanu
Heavy rain in the back country caused flooding in Rotomanu.
Flooding
at
Seddonville
Two families at Seddonville were evacuated by boat. Water was one metre deep in one of the houses.
Flooding
at
Te Kinga
Heavy rain in the back country caused flooding in Te Kinga.
References
- Ben, J.L. (1990). A Chronology of Flooding on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand 1846-1990.
- Hydrology Annual, No. 15, 1967, Part 1, A.R. Shearer, 1970, Government Printer, Wellington, Water and Soil Division, New Zealand
- Owen, R. E. (1965). Hydrology Annual, No.11, 1963. Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council. Wellington, NZ: The Ministry of Works.
- Headline: Four Drown When Launch Disappeared On Lake.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 7 November 1963.
- Headline: Heavy Rain Causes Localised Flooding.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1963.
- Headline: Stock Losses Feared In Karamea
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1963.
- Headline: Rainwater sweeps through streets of town, this afternoon.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1963.
- Headline: Vicious Gale Causes Damage In Capital.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1963.