Storms dominate April's weather

April was a very wet month for the whole of the Taranaki region, with the MetService issuing multiple severe weather warnings and watches for rain, severe thunderstorms and strong winds.

Overall for the region, 221 per cent of normal rainfall was recorded compared to the figures we typically see for April. This ranged from Ngutuwera (Inland Waitotara) and Tawhiti (Whareroa) receiving well over 3 times their normal April rainfall figures at 362 per cent and 322 per cent respectively, while most other sites around the region received around double their normal totals for April, down to 136 per cent of normal at North Egmont.

After the dry start to the year, the last two months of wetter weather have brought the year to date totals back into line, with an overall Taranaki average of 116 per cent, but this does range from 85 per cent of normal at North Egmont, up to 139 per cent of normal at Stony (Okato).

Higher rainfall for the month did result in river flows being up on normal April levels, with all sites showing higher than normal mean flows, however no new record high (or low) April flows were recorded.

River temperatures were also higher than normal for April, with all sites showing higher mean temperatures for the month, however once again no new records were set.

North Egmont had the coolest mean air temperature for the month at 9.5 degC, as could be expected.

The temperature at North Egmont dropped down to a low value of 0.3 degC. Patea recorded the highest maximum temperature of 24.7 degC. Cape Egmont had both the warmest average temperature (16.0 degC) as well as the highest minimum temperature (6.4 degC).

Soil moistures were generally up on previous April levels, however even with heavy rainfall in the South, Rimunui Station and Patea both showed quite low levels, where soils are still recovering from a dry summer.