Taupō February weather: cool end to a dry month

February had a few grey days, as well as seven rainy ones. Photo / Milly Fullick

February began with above-average temperatures and generally dry conditions.

However, cooler temperatures over the last quarter of the month helped bring the overall monthly average to around 1.5C below normal.

The daytime maximum temperature averaged 23.6C, with the hottest day of 30.1C being registered on Thursday, February 8. This was the first time that 30C had been reached in February since 2022.

The coldest night of 2.1C occurred on Monday, February 12.

February 2024 was dry, but the total rainfall for the month of 22.5mm over seven wet days was nowhere near the driest.

That record was set in February 2000, when just 1.0mm fell on one wet day.

Other dry February months recorded in Taupō include 2007, when 16.5mm was recorded on three wet days, and 2011, recording 3.7 mm on four wet days.

Taupō's wettest February on record belongs to 2004, when 206.9 mm fell on 16 wet days.

February 2024 was generally calm. But on Thursday, February 8 a northwest wind peaked at 48km/h and on Saturday, February 3, a westerly topped 54km/h.

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