Norwester - Wind of Contrasts

This documentary, made by TVNZ’s Natural History Unit (now NHNZ), charts the progress of the nor'west wind from its formation in the Tasman Sea across the Southern Alps to the Canterbury Plains and the east coast of the South Island. Along the way it dumps metres of precipitation on West Coast rain forest and snow on the Alps, then transforms to a dry, hot wind racing across the Plains. The film shows the wind's impact on the ecosystem and farming and muses on the mysterious effect it can have on humans. It screened as part of the beloved Wild South series.

Ten thousand tonnes of rock and sediment can be stripped from a square kilometre in the mountains during a single season of nor’westers and in these mountain catchments there’s an annual rainfall of 12 metres — the vast bulk of it brought by the nor’westers.

– Narrator

Key Cast & Crew

Mike Single

Producer, Director, Camera

Andrew Sturman

Script Consultant

Donald Evans

Narrator

Jennifer Henderson

Editor's Assistant

Mark Hantler

Camera

Swami Hansa

Camera