# Windy Wellington



## Song_Si

2011-11-21 - 3NEWS - WINDY WELLINGTON LIVES UP TO REPUTATION - YouTube

I lived in Wellington for 10 years, most of that time in Island Bay or Owhiro Bay, an area with a specific building code - houses/structures have to be built to a higher standard than normal to cope with the constant winds. The article in next post quotes: "_gusts exceeding gale-force (75km/h) about 175 days every year at the airport_" and expect it was the same where we lived, almost 50% of life in a wind tunnel! 

Gardening was an education - many a plant labeled 'coastal hardy' would shrivel and die in the salt-laden air; eventually established a good hillside garden/shrubs trees and found the best plants were ones raised locally rather than from inland/sheltered garden centres. Wellington Council has a large nursery in Berhampore that occasionally sells to the public and that was a good source of trees, they raised them there for coastal plantings, parks.

Cycling was often a challenge round the coast road, but all part of the fun. I remember when we were house hunting and went to view a property near Strathmore on top of the hills, we stopped the car and thought it was going to take off, just a Honda Civic but it was rocking on the suspension and we didn't dare try to open the car doors . . . time to look at another property.









"_You can't beat Wellington on a good day_" - as the advertising slogan says . . . on one of those good days . . . sea kayaking in Cook Strait, off Owhiro Bay. Once I was caught in a weather change and had visions of getting ashore at the top of the South island, swept a long way out till I could manage to make it back to land. 

****

Some facts and figures on Wellington winds from today's Dominion Post in following posts


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## Song_Si

*How windy is Wellington, really? *









ISLAND BAY
Parts of the Miramar peninsula; Roseneath, Hataitai and Mt Victoria; Owhiro Bay up to Brooklyn; and pockets of Newlands, Johnsonville and Grenada North are among the windiest spots in the city. 

*WINDY CAPITAL*


248km/h The highest gust of wind ever recorded in Wellington
29km/h The average wind speed at Wellington Airport; 18km/h Chicago's average wind speed
104km/h The highest gust at Wellington Airport this spring, on November 28th
233 The number of days winds topped gale-force speed in Wellington's windiest year.

So how deserved is all the ''Windy Wellington'' notoriety? And who cops the worst of it around town?

First, while we're not, strictly speaking, the windiest place on record in the country that honour belongs to Canterbury's Mt John, with a 1970 wind gust of 250km/h we're not far off, with recordings of 248km/h gusts in both 1959 and 1962.

Those kinds of freak speeds, recorded on Hawkins Hill near Brooklyn, are easily in hurricane territory.

"You couldn't stand up there,'' says Niwa principal scientist Brett Mullan. ''It's way above comfortable for walking."

The infamous Wahine storm of 1968 saw gusts upwards of 200km/h, while over the hill in the Wairarapa, windswept Castlepoint and Cape Palliser have seen peak gusts in the same territory.

And Wellington is much more consistently windy than most places, seeing gusts exceeding gale-force (75km/h) about 175 days every year at the airport, Mullan says.

Auckland's winds, by contrast, get over over 65km/h on only about 50 days of the year, while Christchurch averages 60 such days and Invercargill 90.

What's more, even though other cities around the world like to lay claim to extreme winds, it seems they've got nothing on Wellington.

Metservice meteorologist Daniel Corbett says lakeside Chicago has an average wind-speed of about 18km/h, where Wellington Airport's is 29km/h. 

As for the worst spots to be, Wellington City Council divides the city into five levels of windiness. At the peak end of the scale are zones including the hilly parts of the Miramar peninsula; much of Roseneath, Hataitai and Mt Victoria; the stretch from Owhiro Bay through Happy Valley up to Brooklyn; and pockets of Newlands, Johnsonville and Grenada North.


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## Song_Si

*How windy is that Wellington street?*










May be of use to people considering a property in Wellington, this interactive graphic displays the capital's wind zones. 

When using the graphic, click on your street to see what wind zone you are in.

KEY FOR GRAPHIC
Wellington City Council divides the city into five degrees of windiness:
1 = low wind
2 = medium wind
3 = high wind
4 = very high wind
5 = winds reach speeds above 50m/s; extra conditions required for building consents 

_"one excruciating Wellington October where the city saw 30 days of winds surpassing gale force"​_


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## mortirolo

Wellington has always been windy, I remember 3 or 4 times holding onto parking meters to stop myself getting blown over. Cycling was hard, only maybe once a week was possible. But Wellington is a lovely city, probably one the most attractive cities in NZ with character and is compact. Please remember NZ is a very windy place generally with the South Pole winds, even Auckland is windy. You can't escape the winds in NZ period......my wife always complained about her hair been messed up.


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## Swimmer

Song_Si said:


> May be of use to people considering a property in Wellington, this interactive graphic displays the capital's wind zones.
> 
> When using the graphic, click on your street to see what wind zone you are in.
> 
> KEY FOR GRAPHIC
> Wellington City Council divides the city into five degrees of windiness:
> 1 = low wind
> 2 = medium wind
> 3 = high wind
> 4 = very high wind
> 5 = winds reach speeds above 50m/s; extra conditions required for building consents
> 
> _"one excruciating Wellington October where the city saw 30 days of winds surpassing gale force"​_



Wasn't able to get this Interactive to work for me like it did awhile back...then I
JUST FOUND THIS:
LINK: Maps - Wellington - New Zealand
Wind Zones:
We've temporarily removed the wind zone information from WebMap so that we can update it, following Building Code changes in effect from 1 February 2012. We will provide the updated wind zone information as soon as we can.


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## Song_Si

source

I took some photos along the coast on Waitangi Day (February 6th - summer!) 2003, the road was closed near where we lived due to waves and debris; didn't see this ship go out though

*Suilven In Massive Swell*
Strait Shipping's Suilven in massive southerly swells on big Waitangi Day 2003.

Video:
Ziln -Wild Welly-Suilven In Massive Swell


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## carosapien

Wellington is a fantastic place Song Si, quite unique. You must miss it terribly, what took you away and do you think you'll go back there one day?


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## Song_Si

^ I moved to Wellington due to a job restructure - it was move or redundancy, and ten years later (two week short of ten!) left for the same reason. Made good friends there, though it can be a very transient place, esp in my occupation of HR, and most have moved on, the last HR team I worked in - 14 staff - just one left from when I was there 4 years ago, typically (!) they are mostly in Auckland, Australia or UK now. Few were Wellington-born, like me move with the job.
I loved the coast, rough or fine, running in winter wearing full length thermals and a balaclava - in Wellington terms this is '_character building_' rather then '_crazy_'. Being movie-mad something i miss is the festivals at Paramount/Embassy, and the two small suburban theatres near home - Penthouse in Brooklyn, and the one at Island Bay. When I wasn't competing I'd spend weekend over the Rimutakas on friends' farm, Wairarapa's got a lot to offer (even if James Cameron is buying it up) 


> *James Cameron: I fell in love with NZ*
> 03/02/2012
> After falling in love with New Zealand nearly two decades ago, Hollywood movie mogul James Cameron vowed to make the country his home.
> 
> Cameron paid $20 million for more than 1000 hectares of farmland in South Wairarapa after twice visiting the two properties on the western shores of Lake Onoke last year.


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## kiwikid

Had the best summers in Wellington back in the mid seventies. Lived at Worser Bay. I thought Wellington was windy, but hey its got nothing on Yorkshire UK. Have just returned to Australia after a five week house sit in Yorkshire over Xmas/New Year.


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## BlueBear

*How wet and windy is Wellington*

I will be moving to Wellington in May from Glasgow, Scotland. Everyone I've spoken to about Wellington talks very highly of the city but always finishes the story with 'but it's really windy' and from what I understand it rain a lot too.

Nice weather is an important part of the move for me, on Wikipedia the average temp for Wellington is about 17 in the summer but just looking at the forecast yesterday it was nearly 30 for the past week. 

Can anyone offer me a comparison between weather in Scotland and Wellington as I don't want to move to the other side of the world and get the same weather I get in Glasgow. 

Thanks


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## G-Mo

Very, very, very windy.

It's said that Perth, Western Australia, Chicago, US, and Wellington, NZ are the three windiest cities in the world. Flights are often diverted or have to take multiple runs at the runway to land, due to the wind.

And yes, it's wet. (But, so is much of New Zealand, keeps it green!).

Average rainfall in Wellington is about 1200mm, versus about 1000mm in Glasgow. It's the wettest main city in New Zealand.

I've been to both cities a coupe of times. I'd rather live in Wellington, but if if you are thinking it's going to be like Sydney, you're in for a shock.


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## anski

Yes it is named windy Welly, however I have experienced some lovely weather on visits. Not sure if planes being "often diverted" is accurate, they are on occasion & once I had a bumpy landing.

As for comparing Glasgow to Wellington, well I can vouch that Wellington would be the better choice weather wise. I lived in Glasgow 2 years & never in my life have I experienced such cold bitter weather!

During my 2 years I only wore summer clothes on 1 day.


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## BlueBear

anski said:


> Yes it is named windy Welly, however I have experienced some lovely weather on visits. Not sure if planes being "often diverted" is accurate, they are on occasion & once I had a bumpy landing.
> 
> As for comparing Glasgow to Wellington, well I can vouch that Wellington would be the better choice weather wise. I lived in Glasgow 2 years & never in my life have I experienced such cold bitter weather!
> 
> During my 2 years I only wore summer clothes on 1 day.


Thanks for all the replies. Its helped put my mind at ease a bit anyway.


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## G-Mo

anski said:


> Not sure if planes being "often diverted" is accurate, they are on occasion & once I had a bumpy landing.


My wife worked for ANZ in Wellington (before working for them in Auckland, moving to QANTAS in Auckland and then to QANTAS in London), I can assure you it's accurate.


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## Song_Si

this brings back memories, 'summer' in Wellington!

*'Wet, windy and horrible' weekend *
02/03/2012

*The lower North Island and top of the South Island can expect a rude awakening tomorrow morning as a ''wet, windy and horrible'' deepening low starts the weekend with gale force winds and heavy rain.*

From about 10pm tonight up to 120mm of rain is expected to fall over Wairarapa and Wellington's eastern hills as the severe weather moves in from the Tasman Sea over Taranaki.

The rapidly intensifying front should exit the lower North Island through Hawke's Bay to the east tomorrow afternoon.

Horizons Regional Council emergency staff are warning people to stay inside, avoid beaches and stay alert for surface flooding on roads.

''It's a nasty looking day on Saturday however you want to slice it. It's going to be wet, windy and horrible as soon as we wake up,'' MetService forecaster Daniel Corbett said.

Winds of up to 130kmh could batter the region with high south to south-easterly winds strengthening through Cook Strait around midnight .

''By dawn the centre of this deep, deep low will barrell in like a bull in a china shop with potentially damaging winds easily up to 100kmh.''

Coastal areas like Castlepoint and Wellington's southern headlands could expect to take a severe battering.

Mr Corbett warned flying could be ''challenging'' tomorrow and reminded people to ''batten down the hatches'' and secure loose furniture and tie down boats. 

Temperatures could drop to about 10C on tomorrow with an overnight low of 8C for Saturday night. 

more


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## BlueBear

Song_Si said:


> this brings back memories, 'summer' in Wellington!
> 
> *'Wet, windy and horrible' weekend *
> 02/03/2012
> 
> *The lower North Island and top of the South Island can expect a rude awakening tomorrow morning as a ''wet, windy and horrible'' deepening low starts the weekend with gale force winds and heavy rain.*
> 
> From about 10pm tonight up to 120mm of rain is expected to fall over Wairarapa and Wellington's eastern hills as the severe weather moves in from the Tasman Sea over Taranaki.
> 
> The rapidly intensifying front should exit the lower North Island through Hawke's Bay to the east tomorrow afternoon.
> 
> Horizons Regional Council emergency staff are warning people to stay inside, avoid beaches and stay alert for surface flooding on roads.
> 
> ''It's a nasty looking day on Saturday however you want to slice it. It's going to be wet, windy and horrible as soon as we wake up,'' MetService forecaster Daniel Corbett said.
> 
> Winds of up to 130kmh could batter the region with high south to south-easterly winds strengthening through Cook Strait around midnight .
> 
> ''By dawn the centre of this deep, deep low will barrell in like a bull in a china shop with potentially damaging winds easily up to 100kmh.''
> 
> Coastal areas like Castlepoint and Wellington's southern headlands could expect to take a severe battering.
> 
> Mr Corbett warned flying could be ''challenging'' tomorrow and reminded people to ''batten down the hatches'' and secure loose furniture and tie down boats.
> 
> Temperatures could drop to about 10C on tomorrow with an overnight low of 8C for Saturday night.
> 
> more


Now that sounds wet and windy


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## Song_Si

*Sunless: A summer in name only*

it keeps getting worse, seems those miserable emails I had from friends in Wellington were correct, it has been a poor summer. I have sent them my local forecast in an attempt to cheer them up (pic attached), but all I got in return was abuse . . . no pleasing some people.

*Sunless: A summer in name only*
03/03/2012

*Wellington did not record a single hot day in the cloudiest summer on record.*

Summer, defined by meteorologists as December till February, was leaden and sunless around the North Island, with four of the six main centres posting record low sunshine hours.

"People feel they've missed out because it's been so cloudy," Niwa climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said yesterday.

Of the 91 days of the season there were just 534 sunshine hours for Wellington – 21 per cent below average – making it the cloudiest summer since records began at Kelburn weather station in 1928.

Alongside Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga all notched their cloudiest summers since records began.

Provincial New Zealand also got in on the gloom, with Dannevirke, Waipawa, Stratford and Blenheim all clocking their cloudiest Februaries on record. 

***

Wellington is not known for its stunning summers. Since 1931, when temperature records began at Kelburn, 29 per cent of summers have not had a single hot day, defined by Niwa as 25 degrees Celsius plus. 

On average Wellington gets just 2½ hot days a year.

But in 1934-1935 20 hot days were recorded. The next best was summer 1970-1971 with 13 hot days.

Wellington was also colder and wetter than usual this summer, but not to record levels. 

read more


Weather bomb hits Wellington
03/03/2012
In the last couple of hours, a wind gust of 148kmh was recorded at Mt Kaukau while the strongest recorded wind gust at the Wellington Airport was 96kmh.

Castlepoint on the exposed east coast had recorded a maximum gust of about 140kmh.

more


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## topcat83

It's been a mixed blessing this year - nowhere near as much sun as the previous years since we've been here, but (as we now live in deepest countryside) a bumper year for the farmers. For the first time in years there's a bit of fat in their income. 
And the water tanks are full and the paddocks are still green


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## Song_Si

it never ends; friend worried about flying out of Wellington today due to high winds - 130km/h yesterday; the winds have dropped, and now Wellington Airport is closed due to fog.


> Dense fog in the capital has forced all flights from Wellington International Airport to be cancelled tonight.
> source


maybe tomorrow . . .

but in Wellington's defence . . . happens in other places as well; 2008 I missed the rugby final in Auckland, we flew there twice in the afternoon but couldn't land due to fog . . . home in time to watch on tv.


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## Song_Si

*a bit of a breeze*

hello
who is in Wellington today?
My brother is shifting house there (Thorndon) and we have several friends intending to go to the All Blacks v Argentina Pumas at the Stadium tonight. The ones from Wairarapa face a long detour as Rimutaka Hill - State Highway 2 - is closed. 

Reading this article maybe not a good day for either!




> *Severe gales threaten All Blacks test*
> *Wild winds have caused havoc among rugby fans trying to reach Wellington for tonight's All Black test.*
> 
> Flights have been cancelled and State Highway 2 was closed after gale-force winds reached up to 130kms. Weatherwatch's Philip Duncan said the winds could go as high as 160kmh in Wellington today.
> 
> Sky Sport commentator Scotty Stevenson was onboard an Air New Zealand flight to Wellington which managed to land safely ahead of the test against Argentina at Westpac Stadium. "They did a great job. There was nothing falling out or falling apart. It was a bit wobbly near the end."
> 
> He said there were about 40 Argentinian fans on board, who were singing by the time the plane landed. "We're all pretty happy to be here," he said.
> 
> Wellington's waterfront fanzone has been shut down ahead of tonight's match between the All Blacks and Argentina due to the poor forecast. Duncan says this is part of a spring system making its way over Wellington. He advised people to be cautious outdoors today and watch for falling branches and other debris.
> 
> "Wellingtonians are used to gales but today is a day when people should avoid being outside if possible, especially around trees and powerlines."
> 
> Police said Rimutaka Hill Road was closed until further notice due to high winds causing extremely dangerous driving conditions.


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## BlueBear

*Its not that bad*

Yes today is particularly Windy today, but this is the worst it's been since I arrived in May. 

Before I moved this was one of my biggest concerns and to be honest apart from the odd day here and there the weather has been pretty good right through Winter, I've even been out a few day with my T shirt on. 

For anyone put off Wellington by the wind I would say its no worse than the UK (apart from today )


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## escapedtonz

BlueBear said:


> Yes today is particularly Windy today, but this is the worst it's been since I arrived in May.
> 
> Before I moved this was one of my biggest concerns and to be honest apart from the odd day here and there the weather has been pretty good right through Winter, I've even been out a few day with my T shirt on.
> 
> For anyone put off Wellington by the wind I would say its no worse than the UK (apart from today )


Yeah it has been a windy day today but not storm force strong. Just very blustery. No more so than back in UK.
Just stood in the pub taking in the atmosphere and having a beer before tonight's game assuming its still on!!!
I agree and advise anyone thinking of coming to Wellington. It's not at all as bad as some people make out. We've been here 6 months and I can still count on one hand the number of very windy days/nights that I've noticed


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## bdl123

escapedtonz said:


> Yeah it has been a windy day today but not storm force strong. Just very blustery. No more so than back in UK.
> J


I know I'm ur wife...but 'just very blustery'...really!!! Not where I've been, it's bloody bloody windy!!! Do agree with the rest though ;-))))x

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


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## topcat83

bdl123 said:


> I know I'm ur wife...but 'just very blustery'...really!!! Not where I've been, it's bloody bloody windy!!! Do agree with the rest though ;-))))x
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


I do like to see a couple agree 

I always think it's a bad sign when a city has 'wind sculpture art' (as in it moves in the wind) on it's harbourside.


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## Song_Si

*Wind-less Wellington*

Wellington - even when it's not windy - it's news! 
Enjoy the weekend!

******************

*Wellington runs out of puff*

21/09/2012










*10.54am on Friday, September 21, was a moment in time Wellington and her residents will never forget - there wasn't even a puff of wind.*

Unbelievable but true, Seatoun resident Ants Jackson looked across the harbour entrance and was paralysed with the possibility of what he was seeing and feeling.

"I just could not believe what the hairs on my body were telling me, there was no wind chill, no hint of anything, so I went outside, stunned and lit a cigarette. The smoke is still hanging in the air on the deck, motionless."

Stuff sent their science correspondent, Arthur Clark to the scene. He verified that for 20 minutes the smoke hung in the air, unable to wriggle its way in to the inversion layer.

Half an hour after the event normal service resumed, with a gentle southerly reaching 22km/h.

Get back to work Wellington, Stuff Nation will alert you if this once in a lifetime event ever dares return.


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