Storms batter NZ

With severe storms affecting much of the country here's a look at the weather news in time for the weekend.

DESPITE yesterday's claims by a British expat that the weather is far more reliable in New Zealand than in the UK, low pressure and heavy rain have disrupted life across much of the North Island in the last 24 hours.

Around Wellington, reports the Dom Post, a mudslide derailed train in Upper Hutt, and State Highway 1, the aterial route along the entire country, was blocked at Pukerua Bay for 2 1/2 hours.

Emergency services are mopping up after wild weather last night caused commuter chaos around Wellington, with train passengers stranded by a derailment, slips blocking major roads, and widespread flooding.

Wild winds hit Auckland causing the toppling of trees and dozens of call outs for the fire brigade, reports the Herald.

Fire services received several call-outs across Auckland last night as heavy winds blew over trees and sent a large billboard toppling on to Ponsonby Rd.

Meanwhile in the South Island ice on the Shotover river is affecting the tourism industry, says the Otago Daily Times. (Though it's not, apparently, as bad as last year.)

Throughout June, Queenstown experienced the second-lowest average minimum air temperature since records began in 1871, at minus 2.1degC, but Mr Crow said there had not been severe frosts in Queenstown - just consistent ones.

Comments

[Domestic Executive]

I certainly didn't come to New Zealand for the good weather! It's been the worst I can remember for a while.

[Patricia]

Every time we have come to New Zealand the weather has been "the worst evah!" We thought it was just our usual luck, and the weather did not diminish our enjoyment of the exquisite beauty of the country. Of course, we live in our own climate of extremes.