A state of local emergency was declared by Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown on May 9, 2023, due to severe floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall. The MetService reported rain rates of 40 – 50 mm (1.6 – 1.9 inches) per hour in certain areas of Auckland, leading to significant disruption and causing over 200 weather-related emergency calls.
Thousands of buildings in New Zealand’s Auckland area are currently unsafe for living after the region was hit by extreme rainfall and severe flooding at the end of January. The amount of rain that fell in a matter of days made January 2023 Auckland’s wettest month in at least the last 170 years. The flooding has put the public’s focus on nature-based alternatives to traditional stormwater systems.
Another atmospheric river event is forecast to bring more heavy rain across parts of New Zealand’s North Island in the coming days following an unprecedented rainfall event that brought severe flooding to the Auckland area and left 4 people dead on January 27, 2023.
The presence of a low level jet (LLJ), or strong wind in the lower atmosphere, combined with tropical moisture to create persistent heavy rain in the Auckland area on Friday, January 27, 2023, resulting in widespread severe flooding, destruction and casualties.
Heavy rain, snow, and strong winds are again in the forecast for New Zealand, just a week after the Auckland region received 149% of the August rainfall in just one day. A front is moving east across the far northeast of the North Island tonight (Tuesday, September…
A devastating tornado struck South Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday, June 19, 2021, killing one person and leaving a trail of destruction. Around 62 houses have been deemed uninhabitable and 32 people were evacuated from their homes. Clean-up continued in the area…
Two tornadoes ripped through the cities of Auckland and Papamoa in New Zealand's North Island on Saturday, June 27, 2020, causing major structural damage. The storms tore roofs off homes, knocked trees and power lines, and blew away debris. The first tornado…
Auckland's Watercare Services is drawing about 15 million liters (4 million gallons) of water a day more from the Waikato River since June 16, invoking emergency powers in response to its worst drought in 25 years. New Zealand utility company Watercare is…
The severe drought in North Island, New Zealand– the worst in 50 years in some areas– has prompted the Auckland Council's Emergency Committee to introduce mandatory water restrictions, which will be effective across the region beginning May 16, 2020. This…
A tornado type waterspout hit Auckland's waterfront on August 12, 2019, causing severe damage. The tornado caused many yachts at Westhaven Marina to lose their moorings, vehicles got swept into the ocean, one catamaran was overturned and a yacht was struck by…
