Historical Snowstorms

[Mark]

1863 Canterbury/Otago. First unusually heavy snowfall reported by colonists.

1867 Canterbury/Otago, most severe snowfall on record at the time.

1872 West Coast/Southland. First widespread heavy fall reported.

1878 Canterbury/Otago. June. 107 cm at Bealey (Canterbury), with 3.5–4.5 m at Arthurs Pass and 75 mm at Christchurch.

1888 Canterbury/Otago. 60 cm at Fairlie.

1895 Canterbury/Otago. Very cold over much of South Island and Southland from April to September. Up to 90 cm of hard packed frozen snow in many areas. Worst snow on record at the time.

1903 Canterbury/Otago. Snow lay for five weeks in many areas. 45 cm at Ashburton.

1908 Otago. 70 cm at Ranfurly.

1931 South Island. In Otago worst since 1895.

1939 Canterbury/Otago/Southland. July and August. Affected Otago and Southland giving Dunedin City its worst snowfall ever. Central and South Canterbury received a heavy fall in September.

1945 Canterbury. July, a very heavy snowfall even down to coastal areas. 30 cm about Christchurch, Ashburton and Timaru. Similar to 1903 and as bad as 1895 in some places.

South Island. October. A very widespread fall over most areas except the West Coast. Not as heavy as July fall.

1961 Central North Island. August. Southerly storm gave heaviest snowfall for many years and blocked Desert Road for several days.

1967 Central North Island and South Island. 16–18 November. Worst in Mackenzie Country. 60–70 000 sheep killed.

1972 Canterbury/Otago. June. Widespread over Otago and Canterbury.

1973 Canterbury/Northern Otago. 5–6 August. Heaviest since July 1945. 100 000 sheep and 3000 cattle killed. Extensive disruption of communications, power supply and transport. Secondary roads blocked several days.

1976 Canterbury and Otago. June. Widespread over Canterbury, with some snow in North Island.

Copyed from THE NEW ZEALAND OFFICIAL 1990 YEAR BOOK.

There have been more snow storms.
If you have news on snow storms 1977 up you can add theres to the post.

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[ato2]

Re 1939: Weren't there also couple of events, one of which led to snow being reported in  areas of the North Island that normally never see any. New Plymouth, Auckland, Kaikohe, and I think Cape Reinga?

[Rwood]

Yes. July 1939 event was the biggest of the 20th century. The only colder month in that century was (probably) July 1901. Ereck Brenstrum has written an extensive report on that month (should be viewable at MetService site).