Sudden cloudburst hits Waihi Beach, causing severe flash floods, New Zealand

Sudden cloudburst hits Waihi Beach, causing severe flash floods, New Zealand

A sudden cloudburst on Monday afternoon, May 29, 2023, led to flash flooding at Waihi Beach in the western Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, resulting in evacuations and significant damage. Approximately 60 mm (2.3 inches) of rain fell during the burst, causing floodwaters to reach waist height at their peak.

State of local emergency in Auckland following heavy rainfall and flooding, New Zealand

State of local emergency in Auckland following heavy rainfall and flooding, New Zealand

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.

Two destructive tornadoes hit New Zealand

Two destructive tornadoes hit New Zealand

Some 50 homes have been damaged after severe thunderstorms spawned a destructive tornado in the Tasman District, near Nelson, South Island, New Zealand on April 10, 2023. The event happened about 16 hours after another damaging tornado swept through East Auckland, North Island on April 9.

When summer turned extreme: A statistical analysis of New Zealand’s remarkable summer of 2022/23

When summer turned extreme: A statistical analysis of New Zealand’s remarkable summer of 2022/23

February 2023 was a month of extremes for New Zealand’s weather and climate. While some parts of the North Island received at least 400% of their normal February rainfall and experienced the 2nd wettest summer on record, the South Island faced below-normal rainfall and the 5th driest summer on record. Cyclone Gabrielle brought destructive winds and historic extreme rainfall, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. The nationwide average temperature was 1.1 °C (2 °F) above the February average, making it the 3rd warmest summer on record. Despite the heavy rainfall, some locations experienced high sunshine hours.

National state of emergency declared as Cyclone Gabrielle causes widespread destruction across New Zealand’s North Island

National state of emergency declared as Cyclone Gabrielle causes widespread destruction across New Zealand’s North Island

New Zealand’s North Island has been severely impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle over the past couple of days, with floods, landslides, and ocean swells leaving many people stranded on rooftops. The storm, which caused extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, also closed numerous roads, canceled hundreds of flights, and left about 225 000 people without power. At least 4 people have been killed.

Thousands of buildings in Auckland unsafe for living after worst rains in 170 years, New Zealand

Thousands of buildings in Auckland unsafe for living after worst rains in 170 years, New Zealand

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.

Tropical Cyclone “Gabrielle” forms in the Coral Sea, forecast to rapidly intensify before moving toward New Zealand

Tropical Cyclone “Gabrielle” forms in the Coral Sea, forecast to rapidly intensify before moving toward New Zealand

Tropical Cyclone “Gabrielle” has formed in the Coral Sea as the 3rd named storm of the 2023 Australian region cyclone season. The forecast track takes it near Norfolk Island as a severe category 3 before moving toward New Zealand. The cyclone could bring more rounds of heavy rain to parts of North Island, New Zealand, particularly the Auckland area where extremely heavy and record-breaking rainfall amounts were registered recently.