Cooler summer, yet more sun

Leaves are starting to change colour at Memorial Park, heralding autumn's arrival. Photo/George Novak

This summer was cooler than last year, but sunnier, according to Niwa.

Niwa forecaster Ben Noll said Tauranga had 23 days this summer where temperatures reached 25C or higher and an estimated 730 sunshine hours for the period.

Last summer there were 37 days where the temperature passed 25C with 585.3 sunshine hours recorded.

Mr Noll said last month was exceptionally warm and it was the second warmest February on record for Tauranga.

He said the longer sunshine hours were a result of high pressure systems sitting above the North Island for the warmer months.

"It was good news for holiday makers with less rain than last summer. But the opposite for farmers in the area."

It was also a drier summer than last year. Last summer there were 35 days with more than 1mm of rain while this summer there were only 21.

Mr Noll said sea temperatures were still relatively warm sitting at about 21C.

"This is the warmest time of year for the sea, but it won't last so enjoy it while you can."

The first day of autumn yesterday graced the Bay with clear blue skies and the warm weather was set to stay for a few more weeks.

Mr Noll said March would be warm and humid, with storm systems building up from the middle to end of next week.

The next three months would have near or above average temperatures, he said.

Mr Noll said the mean air temperature for Tauranga over autumn was 18.2C and there was a 40 per cent chance this season would have near or above average temperatures.

The mean air temperature for April was 15.6C and May's was 13.3C.

There was a 40 per cent chance of below average rainfall for autumn. Tauranga's autumn average was 328mm.

Max air temperatures for summer:

December: 26.7C
January: 28.7C
February: 30.4C

Min air temperatures for summer:

December: 9.9C
January: 9.3C
February: 11.5