This day 26 years ago the North Island was preparing for ex-tropical cyclone Drena, a major storm that caused significant widespread flooding and wind damage across both main islands of New Zealand – and it followed hot on the heels from even stormier ex-Cyclone Fergus which hit around New Year’s Eve ’96 causing widespread wind damage and flooding in the upper North Island.

The cyclone duo caused multi-millions of dollars in damage and flooded out many camping holidays. I should know – I was stuck alone at Hahei Camping Ground in the family Caravan for Cyclone Drena, while my parents rushed back to look after our home in Te Aroha, eastern Waikato. Just a week or so prior Cyclone Fergus badly damaged Te Aroha – which had a State of Emergency declared as winds gusted over 220km/h on Mt Te Aroha.

Trees and roofs came off all over the eastern Waikato – and other parts of NZ. Fergus greatly impacted Northland, Coromandel Peninsula and other northern regions. I can remember seeing bricks at the top of an old building in Te Aroha being blown off the roof in Fergus – it was part of the frame of the building and the wind just broke it. Fergus caused great flooding too – but it was a big wind event.

Drena, which transitioned into an extra-tropical cyclone on January 9, 1997, was more of a rain event (yet also brought damaging gales). In fact, Drena brought flooding into both islands from January 10 to 12 and the Coromandel Peninsula was seriously flooded. Coming home from that camping holiday at Hahei and the main highway had branches and debris stuck two metres up in the trees next to the road on one part of the flood plains near Tairua.

These two events, back-to-back like this, highlight New Zealand’s vulnerability for getting a series of summer storms that ruin some holiday plans.

It’s part of life in our part of the world – but the timing of the unsettled weather for many could be better, with such limited time away from work to be able to go on holiday – so we do understand the frustration out there for some trying to deal with this current pattern.

Wikipedia has some good information on these two historic summer cyclones in New Zealand:

• Fergus
• Drena

Why is New Zealand’s weather so unsettled this summer? Location, location, location. https://t.co/deBY1h29ud via @weatherwatchnz

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) January 4, 2023

• Story Image / Cyclone Drena’s tracking in 1997
• By WeatherWatch.co.nz head forecaster Philip Duncan.