Severe Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle was a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that devastated parts of the North Island of New Zealand and affected parts of Vanuatu and Norfolk Island in February 2023. It is the costliest tropical cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere, with total damage estimated to be NZ$14.5 billion (US$9.2 billion), of which NZ$3.18 billion (US$2 billion) consisted of insured losses. It was also the deadliest cyclone and weather event overall to hit New Zealand since Cyclone Giselle in 1968, surpassing Cyclone Bola in 1988. As the fifth named storm of the 2022–23 Australian region cyclone season and the first severe tropical cyclone of the 2022–23 South Pacific cyclone season, it was first noted as a developing tropical low on 6 February 2023, while it was located south of the Solomon Islands, before it was classified as a tropical cyclone and named Gabrielle by the Bureau of Meteorology. The system peaked as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone before moving into the South Pacific basin, then transitioned into a subtropical cyclone on 11 February 2023.
Norfolk Island was placed under a red alert as Gabrielle approached, while heavy rain and wind warnings were issued across the North Island of New Zealand. Existing states of emergency in Auckland and Coromandel due to the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods were extended, and new states of emergency were declared in other areas. The cyclone impacted New Zealand from 11 to 17 February 2023, with a national state of emergency being declared on 14 February 2023. All states of emergency had been lifted by 14 March.
Meteorological history
On 5 February, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reported that Tropical Low 14U had developed within a monsoonal trough of low pressure over the northeastern Coral Sea, about 400 km (250 mi) to the southeast of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. During that day, the system passed near or over Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands as it moved westwards into the Australian region from the South Pacific basin. At this stage, the system was located within a favourable environment for further development with low vertical wind shear of 10–30 km/h (5–15 mph) and warm sea surface temperatures of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F). Over the next two days, the system gradually developed further as it moved south-westwards along a ridge of high pressure towards Queensland, Australia, before the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center initiated advisories and classified it as Tropical Cyclone 12P during 8 February. At around the same time, the BoM reported that the tropical low had developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale and named it Gabrielle.
Gabrielle slowly drifted southwards while deep convection consolidated, and the cyclone was upgraded into a Category 2 tropical cyclone, while the JTWC upgraded Gabrielle to the equivalent of a low-end Category 1-equivalent cyclone with winds of 120 km/h (75 mph). By 18:00 UTC on 9 February, the storm continued to intensify and soon became a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone. During 10 February as Gabrielle moved back into the South Pacific basin, the BoM reported that Gabrielle had peaked as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone with 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 150 km/h (90 mph). Gabrielle began to experience an increase in northwesterly vertical wind shear, the JTWC downgraded it to a Category 1-equivalent cyclone. On 10 February, Gabrielle moved into MetService's area of responsibility. The JTWC also discontinued warnings on the system around 21:00 UTC that day Gabrielle was downgraded to a Category 2 tropical cyclone by the MetService. During 11 February, after Gabrielle had passed directly over Norfolk Island, the BoM and MetService reported that Gabrielle had weakened into a deep subtropical cyclone.
Preparations
Norfolk Island
The Australian territory of Norfolk Island was placed under a red alert as Gabrielle approached. Australian military and emergency personnel were on standby and ready to respond. The Emergency Management Norfolk Island (EMNI) sent out a warning on Saturday afternoon, advising people to stay inside and announcing that most businesses would close.
New Zealand
Heavy rain and wind warnings were issued for across the North Island of New Zealand as Gabrielle approached the country, including red heavy rain warnings in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Gisborne District, and Hawke's Bay, and red wind warnings in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, and Taranaki. New Zealand forecasters at MetService and Weatherwatch saw more than a week in advance that it would be one of the biggest storms in a generation. The cyclone directly caused 11 fatalities in New Zealand, with total deaths reaching 15 including indirect fatalities.
During 9 February, states of emergency in place in Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula as a result of earlier floods were extended in anticipation of Gabrielle's arrival, while a precautionary state of emergency was declared in Northland on 12 February. Many residents across the upper North Island who had been affected by earlier flooding prepared themselves for the cyclone, while emergency services were on high alert. Residents were warned that power cuts were likely and it was suggested that people withdraw some cash because electronic payment systems would not work in a power cut. People were encouraged to have three days of supplies.
Air New Zealand cancelled many domestic and international flights as the cyclone approached, while Bluebridge and Interislander cancelled Cook Strait ferry crossings. The Ministry of Education advised Auckland schools to close, but the decision remained with individual boards of trustees. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said citizens should take the severe weather warning seriously and make sure they were prepared. Some authorities compared the likely effect of Gabrielle with the effects of Cyclone Hola (2018) and the devastating Cyclone Bola (1988).
Effects
Melanesia
In Vanuatu, Malpoi, a village in the northwest of Espiritu Santo, was severely affected by landslides, mud, and the destruction of houses and gardens. The water supply was also contaminated. As their plantations were damaged by the landslide, chairman Allan Taman of Vanuatu's Santo Sunset Environment Network stated that the villagers may require long-term financial assistance. Some villagers in the disaster-affected areas were also forced to evacuate. In New Caledonia, strong swell warnings were put in place for 16 districts; 14 boats were damaged and one sank due to wind and swells, leading to an evacuation plan for the damaged ships.
Norfolk Island
During 11 February, Gabrielle passed directly over Norfolk Island. The cyclone brought down trees and disrupted power, several roofs were slightly damaged, and one building on nearby Phillip Island was destroyed. Norfolk Island's emergency controller George Plant said there had been 40 calls for help, but the damage was "manageable".
New Zealand
The cyclone brought gale-force winds to the North Island. During 12 February, areas of the upper North Island began experiencing widespread power outages and property damage as the outer edges of the cyclone swept the country, with over 225,000 homes losing power as conditions worsened through 13 and 14 February. Severe flooding occurred, while some buildings had their roofs torn off in the wind or were damaged by landslides. Over 140,000 landslides were mapped following the cyclone. Numerous roads across the North Island were closed due to flooding and high winds, including Auckland Harbour Bridge. Hundreds of people across the North Island were mandatorily evacuated, while hundreds more self-evacuated. An estimated 10,000 people were displaced as a result of the cyclone. 1,720 claims of injuries were accepted by ACC. On 23 February, there were 6,960 reports of people uncontactable. By 19 February, Hipkins confirmed that 3,200 people were registered as uncontactable, though he stated that the number was expected to drop, while the direct death toll rose to 11. Hipkins confirmed that 28,000 homes, mostly in Napier and Hastings, still had no power. Hundreds of police staff worked on locating people and every person uncontactable was finally accounted for on 7 March, except for one man who disappeared north of Napier on the morning of 14 February. The search for the man ended in October 2025, with his death being added to a joint coroner's inquest into the deaths caused by the cyclone. A man died in Australia on 27 June, with his family claiming that the stress after losing his home in the cyclone had detrimental effects on his health which he never recovered from. Three self-inflicted deaths in the months following the cyclone have also been linked to events caused by the weather.
More flooding later occurred in Auckland and Northland on 24 February as rain storms struck the North Island, and weather warnings were issued for Coromandel Peninsula, Auckland and Northland.
Northland
Extensive flooding occurred across the region, while multiple roads were closed, including SH 1 near the Brynderwyn Range which was closed for the third time in just over a month. Many people across the region lost electricity, phone service, and internet connections. The North Auckland Line was undermined and covered by a 60,000 m3 (78,000 yd3), or 35,000 m3 (46,000 yd3), slip, just south of Tahekeroa tunnel, as well as about 50 other slips between Swanson and Whangārei. Closure of the railway for up to 3 months was expected.
Auckland
The West Auckland communities of Piha, Karekare, Waimauku and Muriwai were heavily affected. Two firefighters died after being caught in a landslide in Muriwai. Two people went missing at sea near Great Barrier Island and Northland, but were both later found. 50 apartments were evacuated in Mount Eden on the evening of the 13th after engineers determined strong winds could cause the historic Colonial Ammunition Company Shot Tower to collapse. The tower was demolished a week later. 224 buildings were red stickered across the region, meaning entry is prohibited, 323 were yellow stickered, meaning access is restricted, while 977 were white stickered, meaning minor damage only. Of these, 130 red stickered homes were in the town of Muriwai; nearly a third of all the homes in the town. Of the 600,000 customers connected to the Vector network, 42,000 were without power on 14 February. Most connection problems were fixed by 3 March.
Waikato
The town of Port Waikato was completely cut off after Gabrielle brought flooding and slips to the area, while a slip behind Maunsell Road impacted a line of houses. In the Coromandel area, the storm was the fifth severe weather event to impact the peninsula that summer, heavily impacting businesses and extending already prolonged road closures.
Gisborne
The maximum rainfall from Gabrielle was 488 millimetres (19.2 in), which occurred at Hikuwai. A man was found dead at Te Karaka. The potable water supply to the Gisborne urban area was impacted with failures in the distribution system between the water treatment plant and the city. This prompted the use of Emergency Message alerts to residents to 'Stop using Water'. 9 buildings were red stickered across the region, while 149 were yellow stickered.
Roading networks were significantly affected with townships along State Highway 35 disconnected. SH35 was closed between Tolaga Bay and Te Puia Springs due to the road being lost south of Te Puia and the Hikuwai Bridge washing out. Many local roads are closed, which further restricts access to communities.
Hawke's Bay
Stopbanks were overtopped by floodwater in Hawke's Bay, caused partly by the buildup of debris at structures such as bridges. Overtopping caused erosion of stopbanks, leading to thirty breaches of them, covering five kilometres. Power was cut to over 40,000 properties, almost 32,000 of them in and around Napier, when the main Redcliffe substation was damaged after the Tūtaekurī River burst its banks, and phone and internet services were lost. People were evacuated from parts of the low-lying Heretaunga Plains surrounding the river, including parts of Taradale, Meeanee, and Awatoto. Nine thousand people were evacuated or self-evacuated across the region by nightfall. Eighty-three buildings across the region were red stickered, while 991 were yellow stickered. Eight people were found dead.
A flash flood swept through the Esk Valley as the Esk River burst its banks, submerging properties under 7 metres of water and burying homes in silt up to their roof lines. One house was moved 600 metres from its original position. The Ngaruroro River burst its banks, flooding the small settlement of Omahu, where 24 people required evacuation by helicopter. Floodwaters washed away spans and piers of a rail bridge between Clive and Napier, and also damaged two other rail bridges just north of Hastings, and the one at Waipawa. They destroyed six road bridges on the Heretaunga Plains and in its hinterland: Brookfields Bridge over the Tūtaekurī at Pakowhai; Redclyffe Bridge, a major crossing of the Tūtaekurī from Taradale to Waiohiki; the Vicarage Road bridge over the Tūtaekurī at the settlement of Puketapu; Dartmoor Bridge over the Mangaone River, a tributary of the Tūtaekurī, between Puketapu and Dartmoor; the Rissington Bridge over the Mangaone in the Rissington area; and a bridge on Hawkston Road in the Patoka area.