NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
September 1933 Upper North Island High Winds
(
1933-09-09
)
A gale caused damage throughout the upper North Island and caused disruption to power and telephone services.
North Island
High Wind / Gust
at
North Island
Duration: 2 days - A gale raged in the upper North Island from the 9th to the 10th of September 1933.
Northland
High Wind / Gust
at
Dargaville
A gale commenced on the evening of the 9th and levelled many trees, fences, wireless masts and small buildings. No great material damage was done.
Telephone and telegraph lines were disorganised.
Flooding
at
Hukerenui
Floodwater was across the road at Hukerenui to a depth of 8 ft (2.44 m).
Flooding
at
Punaruku
There was 2 ft (0.61 m) of water over the Russell Road at Punaruku on the morning of the 11th.
Multi Hazard
at
Whangarei
A severe easterly gale raged in Whangarei on the 10th accompanied by heavy rain.
High Wind / Gust
Trees and fences were blown down in various districts. Odd sheets of iron were blown off roofs in town.
Several telephone lines were out of order. The northern portion of Whangarei was without electric light for sometime.
Flooding
Mangakahia River rose 30 ft (9.14 m) at the Titoki Bridge on the 10th, which was approximately 60 ft (18.29 m) above the normal level of the river.
Car communication with the north via Whakapara and Hukerenui was impossible.
Auckland
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland City
Two vessels (the Northern Company's excursion steamer Rangitoto and the large keel yacht Viking) broke adrift from their moorings as a result of the gale and were damaged.
Little damage was caused in the city and suburbs by the gale. Branches were blown off trees and in several districts hoardings, signboards and canvas verandah awnings were damaged.
The gale interfered with the Railway Department's telegraph communication line between Auckland and Hamilton but it was not serious enough to stop the trains from running.
About 200 private telephone services in the city were put out of order. Branches torn from trees struck the lines and broke many of them.
High Wind / Gust
at
Pukekohe
Several fuses were blown in the Franklin Power Board's reticulation system, causing temporary sutting off of power in various areas.
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Waikato
Heavy rain accompanied by a fierce gale swept the Hauraki and Coromandel districts on the 10th of September 1933 causing considerable damage.
Flooding
In the Manawaru and Waihou districts parts of dozens of farms were under water.
High Wind / Gust
at
Cambridge
There was considerable damage in the district due to the gale. The electric-power service was seriously disorganised, lines being down in several parts of the district. Trees were across the lines in several instances. Poles were down in Leamington and Kaipaki.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hamilton
Easterly gales were responsible for the collapse of the 30 m New Zealand Dairy Company power house chimney at Frankton, Hamilton. "After leaning at a dangerous angle for some time, the chimney snapped off and crashed through the roof of the casein factory".
The gales also levelled many trees and signs in the area.
High Wind / Gust
at
Morrinsville
Power lines and a few power poles were broken.
High Wind / Gust
at
Paeroa
A strong easterly gale raged for 48 hours.
A main pole on the electric power line was broken and half of Paeroa was without power.
Flooding
Heavy rain accompanied the storm and there was considerable flooding in the low-lying lands in the lower Thames Valley district. The Ohinemuri and Waihou Rivers rose considerably.
High Wind / Gust
at
Pukeroro
Five poles along one road came down with high tension wires.
Heavy Rain
at
Te Aroha
There was heavy rain over the town and district on the morning of the 10th.
Flooding
Waihou River rose 7 ft (2.13 m) at Te Aroha and at places was over a mile wide.
Much land was inundated and similar conditions applied at Paeroa and Thames.
In a dozen places from Te Aroha to Shaftesbury the was was flowing across the road.
High Wind / Gust
The gale wrought havoc at Waitoa, Waihou and Manawaru.
The road from Te Aroha to Waihou was covered with fallen trees.
Flooding
at
Thames
All low-lying ground was covered in water.
Some damage was done to the borough water-race but was not sufficient to stop the supply.
High Wind / Gust
A number of power poles were brought down and lines were broken.
Fences were damaged around the town.
Landslide
The coast road was blocked at Kereta by a heavy slip.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waitoa
At No.1 road, Waitoa, four telephone posts were blown over the road, the lines snapping and cutting off all communication with the settlers in the area. Large trees were also across the road.
The power was cut by falling trees snapping the wires.
Sheds and outbuildings were blown down in all directions, and whole fence lines were flat.
At the Waitoa township a school shelter shed was lifted from its foundations and thrown 50 ft away.
High Wind / Gust
at
Whitianga
The Whitianga ferry was impassable during the height of the storm which was considered the fiercest for many years.
Bay of Plenty
High Wind / Gust
at
Tauranga
Several launches broke adrift and one was sunk and the other was damaged.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- NZ Met Service: Web page: Today in History http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=todayinhistory
- Headline: Flooded Streams, Conditions in North, Water Rising Rapidly, Iron Blown From Roofs.
- The New Zealand Herald, 11 September (Monday) 1933.
- Headline: Stormy Weather, Heavy Seas in Harbour, Ferry Boats Buffeted, Little Damage Ashore.
- The New Zealand Herald, 11 September (Monday) 1933.
- Headline: Vessels adrift, Rangitoto and Viking.
- The New Zealand Herald, 11 September (Monday) 1933.
- Headline: Dargaville's Experience, Downpour After Gale.
- The New Zealand Herald, 12 September (Tuesday) 1933.
- Headline: Roads in the North, One Route Impassable.
- The New Zealand Herald, 12 September (Tuesday) 1933.
- Headline: Storm In Province, Farm Lands Flooded, Thames Valley District, Havoc in Many Places.
- The New Zealand Herald, 12 September (Tuesday) 1933.
September 1933 Upper North Island High Winds
(
1933-09-09
)
A gale caused damage throughout the upper North Island and caused disruption to power and telephone services.
North Island
High Wind / Gust
at
North Island
Duration: 2 days - A gale raged in the upper North Island from the 9th to the 10th of September 1933.
Northland
High Wind / Gust
at
Dargaville
A gale commenced on the evening of the 9th and levelled many trees, fences, wireless masts and small buildings. No great material damage was done.
Telephone and telegraph lines were disorganised.
Flooding
at
Hukerenui
Floodwater was across the road at Hukerenui to a depth of 8 ft (2.44 m).
Flooding
at
Punaruku
There was 2 ft (0.61 m) of water over the Russell Road at Punaruku on the morning of the 11th.
Multi Hazard
at
Whangarei
A severe easterly gale raged in Whangarei on the 10th accompanied by heavy rain.
High Wind / Gust
Trees and fences were blown down in various districts. Odd sheets of iron were blown off roofs in town.
Several telephone lines were out of order. The northern portion of Whangarei was without electric light for sometime.
Flooding
Mangakahia River rose 30 ft (9.14 m) at the Titoki Bridge on the 10th, which was approximately 60 ft (18.29 m) above the normal level of the river.
Car communication with the north via Whakapara and Hukerenui was impossible.
Auckland
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland City
Two vessels (the Northern Company's excursion steamer Rangitoto and the large keel yacht Viking) broke adrift from their moorings as a result of the gale and were damaged.
Little damage was caused in the city and suburbs by the gale. Branches were blown off trees and in several districts hoardings, signboards and canvas verandah awnings were damaged.
The gale interfered with the Railway Department's telegraph communication line between Auckland and Hamilton but it was not serious enough to stop the trains from running.
About 200 private telephone services in the city were put out of order. Branches torn from trees struck the lines and broke many of them.
High Wind / Gust
at
Pukekohe
Several fuses were blown in the Franklin Power Board's reticulation system, causing temporary sutting off of power in various areas.
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Waikato
Heavy rain accompanied by a fierce gale swept the Hauraki and Coromandel districts on the 10th of September 1933 causing considerable damage.
Flooding
In the Manawaru and Waihou districts parts of dozens of farms were under water.
High Wind / Gust
at
Cambridge
There was considerable damage in the district due to the gale. The electric-power service was seriously disorganised, lines being down in several parts of the district. Trees were across the lines in several instances. Poles were down in Leamington and Kaipaki.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hamilton
Easterly gales were responsible for the collapse of the 30 m New Zealand Dairy Company power house chimney at Frankton, Hamilton. "After leaning at a dangerous angle for some time, the chimney snapped off and crashed through the roof of the casein factory".
The gales also levelled many trees and signs in the area.
High Wind / Gust
at
Morrinsville
Power lines and a few power poles were broken.
High Wind / Gust
at
Paeroa
A strong easterly gale raged for 48 hours.
A main pole on the electric power line was broken and half of Paeroa was without power.
Flooding
Heavy rain accompanied the storm and there was considerable flooding in the low-lying lands in the lower Thames Valley district. The Ohinemuri and Waihou Rivers rose considerably.
High Wind / Gust
at
Pukeroro
Five poles along one road came down with high tension wires.
Heavy Rain
at
Te Aroha
There was heavy rain over the town and district on the morning of the 10th.
Flooding
Waihou River rose 7 ft (2.13 m) at Te Aroha and at places was over a mile wide.
Much land was inundated and similar conditions applied at Paeroa and Thames.
In a dozen places from Te Aroha to Shaftesbury the was was flowing across the road.
High Wind / Gust
The gale wrought havoc at Waitoa, Waihou and Manawaru.
The road from Te Aroha to Waihou was covered with fallen trees.
Flooding
at
Thames
All low-lying ground was covered in water.
Some damage was done to the borough water-race but was not sufficient to stop the supply.
High Wind / Gust
A number of power poles were brought down and lines were broken.
Fences were damaged around the town.
Landslide
The coast road was blocked at Kereta by a heavy slip.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waitoa
At No.1 road, Waitoa, four telephone posts were blown over the road, the lines snapping and cutting off all communication with the settlers in the area. Large trees were also across the road.
The power was cut by falling trees snapping the wires.
Sheds and outbuildings were blown down in all directions, and whole fence lines were flat.
At the Waitoa township a school shelter shed was lifted from its foundations and thrown 50 ft away.
High Wind / Gust
at
Whitianga
The Whitianga ferry was impassable during the height of the storm which was considered the fiercest for many years.
Bay of Plenty
High Wind / Gust
at
Tauranga
Several launches broke adrift and one was sunk and the other was damaged.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- NZ Met Service: Web page: Today in History http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=todayinhistory
- Headline: Flooded Streams, Conditions in North, Water Rising Rapidly, Iron Blown From Roofs.
- The New Zealand Herald, 11 September (Monday) 1933.
- Headline: Stormy Weather, Heavy Seas in Harbour, Ferry Boats Buffeted, Little Damage Ashore.
- The New Zealand Herald, 11 September (Monday) 1933.
- Headline: Vessels adrift, Rangitoto and Viking.
- The New Zealand Herald, 11 September (Monday) 1933.
- Headline: Dargaville's Experience, Downpour After Gale.
- The New Zealand Herald, 12 September (Tuesday) 1933.
- Headline: Roads in the North, One Route Impassable.
- The New Zealand Herald, 12 September (Tuesday) 1933.
- Headline: Storm In Province, Farm Lands Flooded, Thames Valley District, Havoc in Many Places.
- The New Zealand Herald, 12 September (Tuesday) 1933.