This Week saw the Wildest winds since the 1970s.

[JennyLeez]

Wildest winds since the 1970s.
Stuff.co.nz

It has been almost 40 years since the country last experienced a wind storm from top to tail like it has in the past few days, according to climate scientist Jim Salinger.

Dr Salinger, who studies severe-weather events, said the last time such high winds battered both islands was in August 1975, when gusts reached 172kmh at Christchurch Airport.

During that storm, about 6000 hectares of pine forest were destroyed and a car was blown 36 metres into a brick wall. "At the same time, temperatures reached 20 [degrees Celsius] in places like Christchurch which, for the middle of winter, was quite amazing."

Before that, July 1945 was the most notable wind storm to affect the entire country. Back then, winds peaked at 145kmh at Wigram in Christchurch and 1400 hectares of forest were toppled.

Dr Salinger said it was rare that a large anticyclone and a deep depression formed in unison at either end of the country.
More:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wairarapa/9154619/Wildest-winds-since-the-1970s

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[Mark]

I have a news piece from the press for the 1975 storm.
Some interesting pieces from that story.
Trees worth $13m lying on the ground.
Two of Canterburys most important state forests.
Eyrewell and Balmoral,were virtually wiped out by the northwest gale.
Winds gusting upto 106 miles/ph at the airport.
The wind averaged 81 miles/ph.
The wind belt was 300 miles wide and moved north-west over the province.

[Weather Display]

it was not has bad as the 1975 storm from what I can tell
(i.e not as widespread damage and peak winds not as strong)
yes?