A leading professor and scientist says the increased intensity of summer storms will lead to more destruction. “I actually can’t imagine what an even more pumped-up Cyclone Gabrielle would look like. Why climate change will make Kiwi summer – and not winter – storms more destructiveRenwick says the so-called ‘Great Kiwi Summer’ uninterrupted by severe weather is something of a myth. He stressed the remnants of a tropical cyclone aren’t crucial to another soaking towards the end of summer. Esk Valley was home to many families living an idyllic semi-rural life prior to the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 17, 2026 01:24 UTC