NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
November 2006 Upper North Island Winds and South Island Snow ( 2006-11-07 )
High winds and small tornadoes were experienced in the upper North Island, while snow and hail occurred in Canterbury and Otago. The winds caused significant property damage and power cuts.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 3 days - From the 7th to the 9th of November.
An active trough crossed New Zealand, followed by a wintry southerly outbreak and severe gales in northern areas. A deepening low crossed the North Island on the 9th, bringing a four-hour westerly gale to Auckland. There was a very strong south to south-west flow. The intense low swept over Waikato and past Coromandel Peninsula.
North Island
High Wind / Gust
at
North Island
Severe southerly gales lashed northern areas on the 9th.
Windstorm damage occurred in the mid to upper North Island.
Insurance Payments totalled $3.4 million ($3,600,000 2008 dollars ).
The 1232 residential home and contents claims totalled $1,705,600 ($1,827,800 2008 dollars).
The 180 commercial claims totalled $1,520,300 ($1,629,200 2008 dollars).
The 15 claims for boats totalled $99,200 ($106,300 2008 dollars).
The 68 motor vehicle claims totalled $150,100 ($160,900 2008 dollars).
South Island
Snow / Ice
at
South Island
A fierce storm brought snow to low levels throughout South Island on 8th.
Auckland
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland
Auckland experienced a violent wind storm on the 9th.
The winds felled powerlines, caused arcing of powerlines, and blew trees on to powerlines from Papatoetoe to North Shore, causing powercuts. An average of about 25,000 Auckland homes were without power at the height of the storm. Power was cut to 15,000 homes in Auckland City and 7000 on the North Shore. About 200 households were still without power on the morning of the 10th.
Some people, mainly on the North Shore, were left without water.
The winds disrupted travel.
The Fire Service had up to 40 crews working on 500 weather-related emergency calls received between midday and 8:30pm. Most of the calls were from western and central suburbs.
The winds lifted roofs and broke windows in homes.
The Police Northern Commmunications Centre received over 500 calls, mostly weather-related, between 5pm and 6pm.
Winds disrupted Auckland ferry services.
There were reports of city roads being temporarily blocked, and motorists had to dodge rubbish bins, branches and other debris.
The Coastguard received reports of 10 yachts seen aground or drifting. Conditions were so bad that little could be done in most cases.
Some traffic lights were phasing out.
There were a few minor accidents on the motorway due to the wind.
Flooding
Some surface flooding occurred.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland City
The Sky Tower was closed at 5pm on the 9th after it started to sway in the high winds.
The Sky Tower had gusts of up to 77 knots (143 km/hr) on the afternoon of the 9th.
The central city had winds of up to 130 km/hr on the 9th.
The storm appeared to be centrered on Auckland City.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland International Airport
Winds disrupted air services. Flights from Auckland Airport were grounded due to safety concerns for baggage handlers exposed to extreme winds. Flights were delayed up to one hour until the winds fell.
High Wind / Gust
at
Birkenhead
Birkenhead ferries had to be replaced by shuttle services in the afternoon.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hauraki Gulf
Parts of Hauraki Gulf had winds of up to 130 km/hr on the 9th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Manukau Entrance
Manukau Heads had peak gusts of 80 knots (148 km/hr) on the afternoon of the 9th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Onehunga
A falling tree crushed a car in Onehunga.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island ferry passengers were delayed because of the wind and large swells.
The weather caused damage to two pontoons on Waiheke wharf.
Two people got into difficulty trying to save a yacht that went adrift near Waiheke.
Tornado
at
Waitemata Harbour
Coastgurard staff saw three or four waterspouts forming over Waitemata Harbour.
High Wind / Gust
at
Whitford
Part of Whitford Road was closed after powerlines fell and blocked it.
Bay of Plenty
Tornado
at
Mount Maunganui
A small tornado pushed a 40-year-old 18 m eucalyptus tree off its roots, then it swept 50m down a driveway where it knocked large branches off a pohutukawa tree across the street. The tree crashed into a home and car, smashing windows and putting a hole in the ceiling.
Hail
After the tornado, a heavy hailstorm hit the area, blanketing Mt Maunganui.
The hailstorm left Omanu Golf course completely white, and Bayfair shopping centre had drifts of hail up against its walls..
High Wind / Gust
at
Tauranga
The Tauranga Fire Service reported trees and powerlines down on the 9th.
Tornado
at
Waiotahi
At Waiotahi, near Opotiki, a small tornado damaged trees and blew roofing iron off a house.
Canterbury
Hail
at
Canterbury
A hailstorm struck the Lowcliffe-Waterton area on the 8th.
Hail
at
Lowcliffe
The hail caused damage to blackcurrent crops at Lowcliffe and Waterton.
Hail
at
Waterton
The hail caused damage to blackcurrent crops at Lowcliffe and Waterton.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Arrowtown
Arrowtown had 5 cm of snow on the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Arthurs Point
Arthurs Point had 8 cm of snow on the 8th - the most snow it had received in one dump that year.
Snow / Ice
at
Queenstown
In Queenstown, the snowfall on the 8th was the heaviest and lowest for November in 45 years of record-keeping.
References
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). Newsletter 108, March 2007. Notable Weather for Spring 2006, Ben Tichborne and Trevor McGavin.
- Headline: Weather Highlights of 2006, 27/12/2006 www.scoop.co.nz.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). Newsletter 108, March 2007.
- Natural Hazards 2006. Hazards Summary, The Insurance year.
- Natural Hazards 2006. Hazard Summary, Snow, hail and electrical storms, p27.
- Headline: Some homes still powerless after storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB, 10 November 2006.
- Headline: Wild weather closes Sky Tower.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Newstalk ZB, NZ Herald and NZPA, 10 November 2006.
November 2006 Upper North Island Winds and South Island Snow ( 2006-11-07 )
High winds and small tornadoes were experienced in the upper North Island, while snow and hail occurred in Canterbury and Otago. The winds caused significant property damage and power cuts.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 3 days - From the 7th to the 9th of November.
An active trough crossed New Zealand, followed by a wintry southerly outbreak and severe gales in northern areas. A deepening low crossed the North Island on the 9th, bringing a four-hour westerly gale to Auckland. There was a very strong south to south-west flow. The intense low swept over Waikato and past Coromandel Peninsula.
North Island
High Wind / Gust
at
North Island
Severe southerly gales lashed northern areas on the 9th.
Windstorm damage occurred in the mid to upper North Island.
Insurance Payments totalled $3.4 million ($3,600,000 2008 dollars ).
The 1232 residential home and contents claims totalled $1,705,600 ($1,827,800 2008 dollars).
The 180 commercial claims totalled $1,520,300 ($1,629,200 2008 dollars).
The 15 claims for boats totalled $99,200 ($106,300 2008 dollars).
The 68 motor vehicle claims totalled $150,100 ($160,900 2008 dollars).
South Island
Snow / Ice
at
South Island
A fierce storm brought snow to low levels throughout South Island on 8th.
Auckland
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland
Auckland experienced a violent wind storm on the 9th.
The winds felled powerlines, caused arcing of powerlines, and blew trees on to powerlines from Papatoetoe to North Shore, causing powercuts. An average of about 25,000 Auckland homes were without power at the height of the storm. Power was cut to 15,000 homes in Auckland City and 7000 on the North Shore. About 200 households were still without power on the morning of the 10th.
Some people, mainly on the North Shore, were left without water.
The winds disrupted travel.
The Fire Service had up to 40 crews working on 500 weather-related emergency calls received between midday and 8:30pm. Most of the calls were from western and central suburbs.
The winds lifted roofs and broke windows in homes.
The Police Northern Commmunications Centre received over 500 calls, mostly weather-related, between 5pm and 6pm.
Winds disrupted Auckland ferry services.
There were reports of city roads being temporarily blocked, and motorists had to dodge rubbish bins, branches and other debris.
The Coastguard received reports of 10 yachts seen aground or drifting. Conditions were so bad that little could be done in most cases.
Some traffic lights were phasing out.
There were a few minor accidents on the motorway due to the wind.
Flooding
Some surface flooding occurred.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland City
The Sky Tower was closed at 5pm on the 9th after it started to sway in the high winds.
The Sky Tower had gusts of up to 77 knots (143 km/hr) on the afternoon of the 9th.
The central city had winds of up to 130 km/hr on the 9th.
The storm appeared to be centrered on Auckland City.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland International Airport
Winds disrupted air services. Flights from Auckland Airport were grounded due to safety concerns for baggage handlers exposed to extreme winds. Flights were delayed up to one hour until the winds fell.
High Wind / Gust
at
Birkenhead
Birkenhead ferries had to be replaced by shuttle services in the afternoon.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hauraki Gulf
Parts of Hauraki Gulf had winds of up to 130 km/hr on the 9th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Manukau Entrance
Manukau Heads had peak gusts of 80 knots (148 km/hr) on the afternoon of the 9th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Onehunga
A falling tree crushed a car in Onehunga.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island ferry passengers were delayed because of the wind and large swells.
The weather caused damage to two pontoons on Waiheke wharf.
Two people got into difficulty trying to save a yacht that went adrift near Waiheke.
Tornado
at
Waitemata Harbour
Coastgurard staff saw three or four waterspouts forming over Waitemata Harbour.
High Wind / Gust
at
Whitford
Part of Whitford Road was closed after powerlines fell and blocked it.
Bay of Plenty
Tornado
at
Mount Maunganui
A small tornado pushed a 40-year-old 18 m eucalyptus tree off its roots, then it swept 50m down a driveway where it knocked large branches off a pohutukawa tree across the street. The tree crashed into a home and car, smashing windows and putting a hole in the ceiling.
Hail
After the tornado, a heavy hailstorm hit the area, blanketing Mt Maunganui.
The hailstorm left Omanu Golf course completely white, and Bayfair shopping centre had drifts of hail up against its walls..
High Wind / Gust
at
Tauranga
The Tauranga Fire Service reported trees and powerlines down on the 9th.
Tornado
at
Waiotahi
At Waiotahi, near Opotiki, a small tornado damaged trees and blew roofing iron off a house.
Canterbury
Hail
at
Canterbury
A hailstorm struck the Lowcliffe-Waterton area on the 8th.
Hail
at
Lowcliffe
The hail caused damage to blackcurrent crops at Lowcliffe and Waterton.
Hail
at
Waterton
The hail caused damage to blackcurrent crops at Lowcliffe and Waterton.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Arrowtown
Arrowtown had 5 cm of snow on the 8th.
Snow / Ice
at
Arthurs Point
Arthurs Point had 8 cm of snow on the 8th - the most snow it had received in one dump that year.
Snow / Ice
at
Queenstown
In Queenstown, the snowfall on the 8th was the heaviest and lowest for November in 45 years of record-keeping.
References
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). Newsletter 108, March 2007. Notable Weather for Spring 2006, Ben Tichborne and Trevor McGavin.
- Headline: Weather Highlights of 2006, 27/12/2006 www.scoop.co.nz.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). Newsletter 108, March 2007.
- Natural Hazards 2006. Hazards Summary, The Insurance year.
- Natural Hazards 2006. Hazard Summary, Snow, hail and electrical storms, p27.
- Headline: Some homes still powerless after storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB, 10 November 2006.
- Headline: Wild weather closes Sky Tower.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Newstalk ZB, NZ Herald and NZPA, 10 November 2006.