Taupō Weather Report: April a dry and mild month

A golden evening in Taupō. Photo / Merv Richdale

Last week's weather highlights. Photo / Supplied

April in Taupō was dry and mild.

The monthly rainfall of just 30.5mm, which fell over nine wet days, was among the lowest April totals and joins six other April months this century when the total monthly rainfall was less than 35mm.

The driest April was in 2005, when 26mm fell on just six wet days. The others were April 2004 (26.3mm on 11 days), April 2003 (30mm on three days), April 2016 (29.5mm on six days), April 2009 (33mm on 10 days) and April 2020 (32mm on eight days).

The wettest April occurred in 2017, with a total fall of 245mm over 15 days. But the most significant April total of 232mm in 2008 over 11 days was notable for the heaviest 24-hour fall for any April month when as much as 143mm was recorded on April 15.

That day featured the Mangatepopo tragedy where several Ilam Church-goers perished in a dramatic flash flood caused by the deluge.

April 2022 temperatures in Taupō were very mild with the daytime maximum averaging 19.2C, almost 2C above the norm and the night-time minimum of 6.9C was right on the average for April. The daily temperature of 13.1C was 1C above the monthly average.

Three frosts were recorded, all of them very slight, the heaviest being -1.2C on the last morning of the month.

April was quite windless with a peak wind gust of only 48km/h being recorded at Taupō Airport on April 12.

May, the last month of autumn, should start off quite pleasant, but there should be a noticeable drop in temperatures as we head towards winter.