NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
October 2007 New Zealand Storm
(
2007-10-02
)
October 2007 New Zealand Storm
(
2007-10-02
)
Many parts of New Zealand experienced high winds, lightning, snow, hail and heavy rain. Roads, airports, ferries and power supplies were affected. A few properties were damaged.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 2nd to the 5th of October.
An active cold front moved onto the South Island on the 2nd, preceded by a north-westerly flow over the country. On the 3rd, a cold south to south-west blast swept over the rest of New Zealand. The flow died out on the night of the 3rd, with frosts in some areas. On the 4th, a north-westerly flow arrived in the morning. It remained cold about and west of the South Island main divide, as a new frontal system moved in.
North Island
Snow / Ice
at
North Island
Snow showers also affected the central North Island, including the Desert Road, but not enough to cause disruption.
Hail
Hail showers peppered the north of the North Island on the 3rd.
South Island
Lightning
at
South Island
Thunderstorms continued in western areas on the 2nd.
Snow / Ice
Cold southerlies spread onto the South Island on the evening of the 2nd, with snow lingering on the high county.
Heavy snow fell about the high country on the 4th, disrupting travel on southern passes.
High Wind / Gust
Southerly gales lashed the east coast of the South Island on the 3rd.
Auckland
Multi Hazard
at
Auckland
Baking sun, downpours, swirling winds and hailstones followed each other in quick succession at Auckland on the 3rd.
Temperatures fluctuated between 8 degC and 16 degC.
Ferries between downtown Auckland and Birkenhead and Northcote Point were stopped, and passengers put on buses.
Heavy Rain
West Auckland received over 22 mm (2.2 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 3rd.
South Auckland received less than 8 mm (0.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hobson BayShow me on map
On the afternoon of the 3rd a man had to be resuced after being caught by strong winds while trying to row out to his boat in Hobson Bay.
Multi Hazard
at
NorthcoteShow me on map
Northcote Point wharf was closed for most of the 2nd and on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tamaki RiverShow me on map
A boat went adrift in the Tamaki River.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Waiheke IslandShow me on map
A yacht was smashed on to rocks near Waiheke.
Hawke's Bay
High Wind / Gust
at
Hawke's Bay
High winds buffected the Central Hawke's Bay area overnight on the 4th.
Manawatu-Wanganui
High Wind / Gust
at
DannevirkeShow me on map
The winds were very severe at Dannevirke.
Two roofs were lifted in Dannevirke, train barrier arms were blown onto the street and a garden shed was blown over a fence onto the road.
Wellington
Maritime / Coastal
at
Wellington
Driving was hazardous on the 3rd as waves crashed into coastal roads.
Lightning
An Auckland to Wellington flight was struck by lightning on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
North-westerlies rose to gale in Wellington and Wairarapa.
High Wind / Gust
at
CastlepointShow me on map
Castlepoint recorded a gust of 78 knots (144 km/hr) on the 4th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Cook StraitShow me on map
Cook Strait ferry crossings were slowed on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mt KaukauShow me on map
Mt Kaukau recorded a gust of 75 knots (139 km/hr) on the 4th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International AirportShow me on map
Air New Zealand cancelled 18 flights out of Wellington on the 3rd because of strong winds. About 600 passengers were affected.
West Coast
Heavy Rain
at
West Coast
A new frontal system moved in and brought heavy rain to the West Coast on the 4th.
Heavy Rain
at
Waiho RiverShow me on map
Waiho recorded 125 mm (12.5 cm) of rain on the 4th.
Canterbury
High Wind / Gust
at
Canterbury
North-westerlies rose to gale in inland Canterbury on the 4th, causing some damage.
Powerlines were downed in Mid Canterbury on the 4th.
Many tree branches were toppled. Five trees were blown down within two hours on the 4th.
Hail
at
ChristchurchShow me on map
Hail and sleet was reported in Christchurch on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
HindsShow me on map
A caravan was flipped by high winds on State Highway 1 near Hinds on the 4th.
High Wind / Gust
at
OxfordShow me on map
A house in Oxford lost its roof on the 4th.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Otago
Snow fell to low levels in Otago on 3rd.
Snow closed roads and caused crashes.
Snow / Ice
at
CardronaShow me on map
More than 15cm of snow fell at Cardrona Hotel on the 4th.
Travellers between Wanaka and Queenstown were stranded after a sudden snowfall caused the closure of Crown Range Road at around 2:30pm. It was opened a short time later for vehicles with chains.
About 20 vehicles slid off the road on the range because of heavy snow, but none of the incidents were serious.
Snow began falling at about 10:30am on the 4th, and the highest point of the range received snow about one hour before that.
Snow / Ice
at
Lindis PassShow me on map
Vehicles were stuck on Lindis Pass by snow in early morning on the 3rd.
Multi Hazard
at
MakaroraShow me on map
Torrential rain ans snow caused a new lake near Makarora to spill over its dam and into the Young River on the evening of the 5th (the lake had been formed by a major landslide).
Flooding
at
QueenstownShow me on map
Rain in Queenstown and Wanaka on the afternoon of the 5th caused surface flooding on roads and washed most of the snow in Cardrona Valley away.
Snow / Ice
at
WanakaShow me on map
Wanaka had a temperature of only 3 degrees at 1pm on the 4th.
Flooding
Rain in Queenstown and Wanaka on the afternoon of the 5th caused surface flooding on roads and washed most of the snow in Cardrona Valley away.
Southland
Heavy Rain
at
Southland
Heavy rain fell in Fiordland on the 2nd.
Snow / Ice
Snow fell to low levels in Southland on the 3rd.
The Milford Road (State Highway 94) was closed on the 3rd and 4th due to snow and avalanche risk.
A series of southerly fronts deposited fresh snow in Fiordland down to 300m on the 4th.
DOC warned trampers in Fiordland of increased risk of avalanches in alpine reaches of the Kepler, Dusky, Milford and Routebourne tracks due to westerly winds and steady snowfalls, and heavy rain forecast over the next few days.
Multi Hazard
Two trampers went on a 10-day hike in remote Fiordland mountains, which turned into a 13-day marathon, with heavy rain, flooded rivers, a broken bridge, waist-deep snow and gales. They started on 28th September at Lake Manapouri's South Arm and went over Percy Saddle, sections of Dusky Track and mountain passes into the Florence and Grebe catchments. They finally made it back to Lake Manapouri on the 8th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Dusky TrackShow me on map
A swing bridge over the Seaforth River on the Dusky Track, between Kintail and Loch Maree huts, fell into the river after damage from windblown trees, leaving the river unable to be crossed after rain.
Snow / Ice
at
Kepler TrackShow me on map
Almost 1m of snow was reported in alpine areas of Kepler Track.
Heavy Rain
at
Milford SoundShow me on map
Milford Sound recorded 60 mm (6.0 cm) of rain in 12 hours on the 2nd.
References
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). Newsletter 111, December 2007.
- Headline: Want the sun? Just wait a minute.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 4 October 2007.
- Headline: Wind warning for Canterbury.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 4th October 2007, 5:45pm.
- Headline: High winds continue to hit.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 5th October 2007, 11:12am.
- Headline: DOC warns of snow danger in Fiordland.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 4 October 2007.
- Headline: Chaos on roads in Cardrona Valley.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 5 October 2007.
- Headline: All eyes on lake as water spills over.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times, 6 October 2007.
- Headline: Winton trampers beat conditions.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 11 October 2007.
October 2007 New Zealand Storm
(
2007-10-02
)
Many parts of New Zealand experienced high winds, lightning, snow, hail and heavy rain. Roads, airports, ferries and power supplies were affected. A few properties were damaged.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 2nd to the 5th of October.
An active cold front moved onto the South Island on the 2nd, preceded by a north-westerly flow over the country. On the 3rd, a cold south to south-west blast swept over the rest of New Zealand. The flow died out on the night of the 3rd, with frosts in some areas. On the 4th, a north-westerly flow arrived in the morning. It remained cold about and west of the South Island main divide, as a new frontal system moved in.
North Island
Snow / Ice
at
North Island
Snow showers also affected the central North Island, including the Desert Road, but not enough to cause disruption.
Hail
Hail showers peppered the north of the North Island on the 3rd.
South Island
Lightning
at
South Island
Thunderstorms continued in western areas on the 2nd.
Snow / Ice
Cold southerlies spread onto the South Island on the evening of the 2nd, with snow lingering on the high county.
Heavy snow fell about the high country on the 4th, disrupting travel on southern passes.
High Wind / Gust
Southerly gales lashed the east coast of the South Island on the 3rd.
Auckland
Multi Hazard
at
Auckland
Baking sun, downpours, swirling winds and hailstones followed each other in quick succession at Auckland on the 3rd.
Temperatures fluctuated between 8 degC and 16 degC.
Ferries between downtown Auckland and Birkenhead and Northcote Point were stopped, and passengers put on buses.
Heavy Rain
West Auckland received over 22 mm (2.2 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 3rd.
South Auckland received less than 8 mm (0.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hobson Bay
On the afternoon of the 3rd a man had to be resuced after being caught by strong winds while trying to row out to his boat in Hobson Bay.
Multi Hazard
at
Northcote
Northcote Point wharf was closed for most of the 2nd and on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tamaki River
A boat went adrift in the Tamaki River.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Waiheke Island
A yacht was smashed on to rocks near Waiheke.
Hawke's Bay
High Wind / Gust
at
Hawke's Bay
High winds buffected the Central Hawke's Bay area overnight on the 4th.
Manawatu-Wanganui
High Wind / Gust
at
Dannevirke
The winds were very severe at Dannevirke.
Two roofs were lifted in Dannevirke, train barrier arms were blown onto the street and a garden shed was blown over a fence onto the road.
Wellington
Maritime / Coastal
at
Wellington
Driving was hazardous on the 3rd as waves crashed into coastal roads.
Lightning
An Auckland to Wellington flight was struck by lightning on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
North-westerlies rose to gale in Wellington and Wairarapa.
High Wind / Gust
at
Castlepoint
Castlepoint recorded a gust of 78 knots (144 km/hr) on the 4th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Cook Strait
Cook Strait ferry crossings were slowed on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mt Kaukau
Mt Kaukau recorded a gust of 75 knots (139 km/hr) on the 4th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International Airport
Air New Zealand cancelled 18 flights out of Wellington on the 3rd because of strong winds. About 600 passengers were affected.
West Coast
Heavy Rain
at
West Coast
A new frontal system moved in and brought heavy rain to the West Coast on the 4th.
Heavy Rain
at
Waiho River
Waiho recorded 125 mm (12.5 cm) of rain on the 4th.
Canterbury
High Wind / Gust
at
Canterbury
North-westerlies rose to gale in inland Canterbury on the 4th, causing some damage.
Powerlines were downed in Mid Canterbury on the 4th.
Many tree branches were toppled. Five trees were blown down within two hours on the 4th.
Hail
at
Christchurch
Hail and sleet was reported in Christchurch on the 3rd.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hinds
A caravan was flipped by high winds on State Highway 1 near Hinds on the 4th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Oxford
A house in Oxford lost its roof on the 4th.
Otago
Snow / Ice
at
Otago
Snow fell to low levels in Otago on 3rd.
Snow closed roads and caused crashes.
Snow / Ice
at
Cardrona
More than 15cm of snow fell at Cardrona Hotel on the 4th.
Travellers between Wanaka and Queenstown were stranded after a sudden snowfall caused the closure of Crown Range Road at around 2:30pm. It was opened a short time later for vehicles with chains.
About 20 vehicles slid off the road on the range because of heavy snow, but none of the incidents were serious.
Snow began falling at about 10:30am on the 4th, and the highest point of the range received snow about one hour before that.
Snow / Ice
at
Lindis Pass
Vehicles were stuck on Lindis Pass by snow in early morning on the 3rd.
Multi Hazard
at
Makarora
Torrential rain ans snow caused a new lake near Makarora to spill over its dam and into the Young River on the evening of the 5th (the lake had been formed by a major landslide).
Flooding
at
Queenstown
Rain in Queenstown and Wanaka on the afternoon of the 5th caused surface flooding on roads and washed most of the snow in Cardrona Valley away.
Snow / Ice
at
Wanaka
Wanaka had a temperature of only 3 degrees at 1pm on the 4th.
Flooding
Rain in Queenstown and Wanaka on the afternoon of the 5th caused surface flooding on roads and washed most of the snow in Cardrona Valley away.
Southland
Heavy Rain
at
Southland
Heavy rain fell in Fiordland on the 2nd.
Snow / Ice
Snow fell to low levels in Southland on the 3rd.
The Milford Road (State Highway 94) was closed on the 3rd and 4th due to snow and avalanche risk.
A series of southerly fronts deposited fresh snow in Fiordland down to 300m on the 4th.
DOC warned trampers in Fiordland of increased risk of avalanches in alpine reaches of the Kepler, Dusky, Milford and Routebourne tracks due to westerly winds and steady snowfalls, and heavy rain forecast over the next few days.
Multi Hazard
Two trampers went on a 10-day hike in remote Fiordland mountains, which turned into a 13-day marathon, with heavy rain, flooded rivers, a broken bridge, waist-deep snow and gales. They started on 28th September at Lake Manapouri's South Arm and went over Percy Saddle, sections of Dusky Track and mountain passes into the Florence and Grebe catchments. They finally made it back to Lake Manapouri on the 8th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Dusky Track
A swing bridge over the Seaforth River on the Dusky Track, between Kintail and Loch Maree huts, fell into the river after damage from windblown trees, leaving the river unable to be crossed after rain.
Snow / Ice
at
Kepler Track
Almost 1m of snow was reported in alpine areas of Kepler Track.
Heavy Rain
at
Milford Sound
Milford Sound recorded 60 mm (6.0 cm) of rain in 12 hours on the 2nd.
References
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). Newsletter 111, December 2007.
- Headline: Want the sun? Just wait a minute.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 4 October 2007.
- Headline: Wind warning for Canterbury.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 4th October 2007, 5:45pm.
- Headline: High winds continue to hit.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 5th October 2007, 11:12am.
- Headline: DOC warns of snow danger in Fiordland.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 4 October 2007.
- Headline: Chaos on roads in Cardrona Valley.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 5 October 2007.
- Headline: All eyes on lake as water spills over.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times, 6 October 2007.
- Headline: Winton trampers beat conditions.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 11 October 2007.
