Snow days
This page is a brief history of significant snowfalls in Christchurch.
Snow now?
If there’s snow in Christchurch right now:
- Check the Christchurch City Council website for more information;
- Go to the Environment Canterbury website for Canterbury information;
- Explore New Zealand online news sources including Press Display
A timeline of Canterbury snowfalls
Significant snow storms occurred in Christchurch in 1862, 1895, 1896, 1901, 1918, 1945, 1992, 2006, and 2011.
1862
1895
1918
14 July 1945
- Record (up to 1980) snowfall 280mm (11 inches) over most of city.
27 August 1992
The 1992 snow storm killed over one million stock in Canterbury and damaged buildings in the Christchurch and surrounding areas. Its overall economic impact was estimated to be somewhere between 50 and 100 million dollars. The 1992 snowstorm had a recurrence interval of about 50 to 100 years.
From CCC archives: Christchurch City Update ’97 — Natural Hazards
Recent snows
2002
- Story behind the big snow, 22 June
2003
- Hardest frost in 50 years, 26 June
- Wrap up, folks — the worst’s not over yet, 5 July
2004
- Bitter August biggest snow month since 1988, 28 August
2005
- Storm batters city and farms, 20 September
2006
- NIWA says snow storm was exceptional south of the Rakaia NIWA media release
- Photographs of the storm and its aftermath were captured in a commemorative book:
Snow storm. - NASA’s Earth Observatory web site posted a report and a detailed satellite image.
2010
- Canterbury lashed, power cut, 8 June
2011
- Wintry blast brings country to a standstill, 25 July
- Christchurch’s new white zone, 26 July
