Taranaki October rainfall averages show annual seasonal trend for the month

Wednesday, 6 November 2019

Early October produced wet, windy weather in Taranaki but overall average rainfall was lower than normal for the month.

The weather in Taranaki during October continued an annual seasonal trend for the month with less rainfall recorded than expected, and colder than normal temperatures.

The monthly weather review showed varied rainfall throughout the region with rain recorded on 14-20 days during October, Taranaki Regional Council hydrologist Fiona Jansma said.

Taranaki rainfall figures in October followed an annual seasonal trend.

At some sites rainfall was well below average, Jansma said.

Stratford had the highest temperature of the month with 22.83C, while the lowest was Whareroa with 2.58C.

Rainfall in Taranaki during October was below normal monthly average.

North Egmont recorded just 53 per cent of average October monthly rainfall with 416.5mm.

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Further south at Whareroa 117.5mm rainfall was recorded, or 116 per cent of the monthly average.

Only four sites - Kahui Hut and Te Kiri (both 102 per cent), Whareroa (116 per cent), and Charlie's Clearing (105 per cent) recorded above normal rainfall for October.

October was also a relatively dry month in 2018 with TRC records showing rainfall was 62 per cent of normal average levels while in 2015 October rainfall was even lower with New Plymouth recording half its average rainfall for the month.

Rain only fell between 7-13 days in October last year in what is regarded as the wettest month of the year in the region.

Lower than normal rainfall this year meant river flows were also below normal in all except the Tawhiti Stream, which had a mean flow of 1054 litres/second, 48l/s higher than the long term monthly mean, Jansma said.

Year to date rainfall for the month ranged between 72 and 116 per cent, with an average of 93 per cent.

October temperatures were below normal everywhere but Stratford, which had a mean of 12.06C, or 0.68C warmer than the town's long term average.

It reached 22.83C in Stratford on October 26, and 0.68C at Whareroa on October 4.

Weather stations at North Egmont, Dawson Falls and Stratford all recorded new temperature maximums for October with 19.35C, 19.94C and 22.83C respectively.

The mean temperature was 12.57C, a little cooler than the long term monthly average of 12.92C.

Nationally the highest temperature in October was recorded in Methven at 29C, while Auckland was the warmest of the six main centres, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research reported.