This page is a brief history of significant snowfalls in Christchurch.
![Riccarton Mill in a snowy July 1895 [1895], CCL PhotoCD 4, IMG0018](https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Photos/Disc4/IMG0018.jpg)
If there’s snow in Christchurch
- Check the Christchurch City Council website for more information;
- Go to the Environment Canterbury website for Canterbury information.
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](https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Photos/GimblettCollection/Gimblett-0084.jpg)
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
- Story behind the big snow 22 June
2003
2004
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
2012
Flickr set of images of the 2012 snow
2013
- Southern polar blast continues 21 June
More information on snow in Christchurch and Canterbury
- View our snow, winter and Matariki images
- Search our Papers index for more snow news stories
- Our snow photos from the Discovery Wall
- Snow photos from Canterbury Stories
- Christchurch snow photos on Flickr
