Storms

Canterbury lies on the lee side of a mountain range that reaches into the stormy ‘Roaring Forties’. This part of the world lies between 40 and 50 degrees latitude south where mild air from the north meets cooler air from the south. Compared to other countries, our weather is very changeable, and we can get storms from any direction, at any time of the year.

Canterbury can experience strong winds, particularly coming over the mountains from the northwest, snowstorms from the south, and sometimes ex-tropical cyclones from the north. We can experience thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes as well as coastal flooding associated with big swells and storm surges.

What you can do