Christchurch snow days

This page is a brief history of significant snowfalls in Christchurch.

Riccarton Mill in a snowy July 1895 [1895], CCL PhotoCD 4, IMG0018
Riccarton Mill in a snowy July 1895, CCL PhotoCD 4, IMG0018

If there’s snow in Christchurch

A timeline of Canterbury snowfalls

Significant snow storms occurred in Christchurch in 1862, 1895, 1896, 1901, 1918, 1945, 1992, 2006, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

1862

1895

1918

14 July 1945

  • Record (up to 1980) snowfall 280mm (11 inches) over most of city.
The Big Snow, [1945] - Mr Bettle outside his shop in Heathcote Valley, CCL PhotoCD Gimblett Collection Gimblett-0084
Big Snow, [1945] - Mr Bettle outside his shop in Heathcote Valley, CCL PhotoCD Gimblett Collection Gimblett-0084

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

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2010

2011Cover of Snow Storm

2012

Flickr set of images of the 2012 snow

2013

More information on snow in Christchurch and Canterbury

Snow images from Canterbury Stories

Earth sciences

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