Cyclone Gabrielle features in February weather for Taupō

Strong winds flattened trees all over Taupō but at least the district was spared the devastating rainfall of Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Merv Richdale

The February 2023 weather in Taupō proved to be wetter, cooler and windier than normal.

While the total rainfall for the month of 115mm on 12 wet days exceeded the average by 37.5mm, it was certainly not the excessive rainfall of areas to the north and the east.

Places such as Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay received unprecedented rainfall figures and devastating floods brought about by cyclone Gabrielle.

In many ways, Taupō dodged a bullet! The heaviest 24-hour fall during the month in Taupō of 27mm was recorded on Monday, February 13.

Taupō did feel Gabrielle’s wrath in the form of gale-force winds. While the official peak wind gusts at the Taupō Airport were 61km/h on February 13 and 78 km/h the following day, many other parts of Taupō received winds well in excess of 100km/h, which wreaked devastation to trees and forests.

Some of the worst areas hit were to the forests near Tūrangi, the Wairakei Drive area and along the Huka Falls Road where several massive redwood trees were uprooted.

Temperatures during the month were below the expected summer readings. Our daytime maximum temperature averaged only 22.1 degrees Celsius , which was three degrees below average. The night-time average minimum of 12.2C was 0.6C below and average daily temperature for the month of 17.2 degrees was 1.7 degrees below normal for February

February 2023

Date Max Min Mean Frost Rain Pressure

26th 23.0 10.2 16.6 1021

27th 18.8 12.9 15.9 13.5 1020

28th 21.5 12.1 16.8 1016

Total for month 115.0mm

February Averages:

25.1 12.8 18.9 77.5