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Redclyffe Bridge, Hawke’s Bay, after Cyclone Gabrielle, 15 February 2023. Photo: Nurg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and compressed.

Flooding Can Happen in Any Season

When do you think New Zealand is most at risk of flooding? Winter might seem obvious, but New Zealand weather doesn’t really work that way.

Heavy rain, overflowing rivers, surface flooding and coastal inundation can happen at any time of year. Some of our most memorable floods have happened when people weren’t thinking about winter at all.

Summer can produce some of the worst

Cyclone Gabrielle hit in February 2023. During the summer of 2022–23, Auckland, Northland, Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay all recorded their wettest summer on record.

At Tūtira in Hawke’s Bay, 316 mm of rain fell in a single day on 13 February during Cyclone Gabrielle. NIWA’s summer summary puts those extraordinary conditions into perspective.

Damaged Redclyffe Bridge and river debris after Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke’s Bay.
Redclyffe Bridge, Hawke’s Bay, after Cyclone Gabrielle, 15 February 2023. Photo: Nurg / Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and compressed.

Autumn can catch us out, too

Tropical moisture and atmospheric rivers can bring huge rainfall. During roughly the first ten days of May 2023, parts of both islands received around one to two times their normal May rainfall. NIWA’s autumn summary records the event.

Then there are the leaves. Gutters and drains can get blocked, and water that would normally flow away suddenly has nowhere to go.

Winter and spring have their own surprises

Winter can bring prolonged rain and saturated ground. But conditions vary: some winters are dry, while others bring nasty surprises.

Spring isn’t safe either. In spring 2023, Gisborne, northern Hawke’s Bay and central Northland were particularly wet, with some locations receiving more than double their usual spring rainfall. NIWA’s spring summary also shows how different conditions were elsewhere.

Flood debris scattered across a Wellington street in April 2026.
Another season, another flood: aftermath in Wellington, 20 April 2026. Photo: Alan Tennyson / Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and compressed.

So when is flood season?

Whenever the conditions line up. New Zealand’s geography and climate mean different places face different risks at different times. That’s why we believe flood preparation should start before the rain is falling.

Allan McLean wearing a Special Solutions Flood Protection shirt beside his ute; digitally edited river backdrop.

Flood protection isn’t about expecting the worst every time it rains. It’s about knowing your property’s risk and having a plan ready before you need it.

Allan McLean, Special Solutions Flood Protection

Portrait background and shirt branding digitally edited.

At Special Solutions Flood Protection, we’re about practical preparedness: knowing where water might enter, knowing what to do, and considering options that fit your property.

Because whether it’s summer, autumn, winter or spring, water doesn’t check the calendar before it arrives.

Explore our guide to flood barriers and sandbags, or get in touch to discuss your property. For organisations, see our business and council flood protection guide.