Bay of Plenty weather: May 2023 rainfall in Tauranga among the top five wettest Mays since records started

Rainfall recorded in Tauranga last month meant it was among the top five wettest Mays since records started in 1910, MetService says.

And Whakatāne had its second wettest May on record since records started in 1974.

Meanwhile, Rotorua had its “wettest month on record” last month since records started in 1963.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said May was “a pretty wet month” for many parts of the country, including the Bay of Plenty.

Last month, Tauranga received 253mm of rain, while the average rainfall in May was 137mm.

Whakatāne recorded 330mm of rain last month, while the average rainfall in May was 140mm.

Rotorua normally received an average of 142mm of rain in May, however, last month, it got 445mm of rain.

Heavy swells in Mount Maunganui on May 1, 2023. Photo / Alex Cairns

On May 2, the Bay of Plenty Times reported a tropically charged weather system was sweeping through the region and on May 20, the Bay of Plenty Times reported slips, flooding and severe weather conditions had closed part of State Highway 30.

On May 29 in Waihī Beach, the Western Bay of Plenty District Council estimated 60mm of rain fell in an hour, causing flooding that forced up to 50 people from their homes, with 27 people evacuated and elderly residents rescued by firefighters when the water reached their windows.

It was a wet end to the King’s Birthday long weekend, as MetService issued a thunderstorm warning for parts of the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel yesterday.

The agency issued a heavy rain watch for the Coromandel Peninsula, valid from 6pm last night to 6pm tonight. It forecasted periods of heavy rain with possible thunderstorms.

Holidaymakers were also warned to take “extra caution” on the roads yesterday.

Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty provisional president Brent Mountford.

Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty provisional president Brent Mountford said the amount of rain had been “challenging”.

Farms were dealing with “oversaturated” paddocks which meant the grass was not growing as it normally would, he said.

“You also lose quite a lot of the nutritional value so it is definitely a real challenge.

“Some farmers have got paddocks that they just simply haven’t been able to graze for quite a while because it’s basically underwater all the time.”

Looking at the weather ahead, Makgabutlane said “clearer conditions” were expected today.

“The first part of the day we could still see some showery conditions, however, that looks to ease up and the latter part of the day should be much drier.”

Makgabutlane said windy conditions were expected today due to south-easterly winds.

Wednesday and Thursday would be “fairly dry,” she said.

However, “we could see some of those showers pushing back into the Bay of Plenty on Friday.”

The periods of heavy rain prompted the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to last week issue a warning to people using the lakes to be careful of underwater hazards as some people might be taking their boats over structures that had not been underwater previously.

Regional Council senior maritime officer Roly Bagshaw said in a statement at the start of last week boaties should be careful around lake edges.

“Several lakes are extremely full, meaning in some areas what were fences, seats and signs on the shore, are now underwater hazards. On top of this, the high water and weather has moved many navigation aids such as the 5-knot buoys. We are working to get these reinstated, but while this is happening, please remember to observe the 5-knot rule within 200m of shore and keep your eyes peeled for unexpected hazards.”