Taupō weather summary: October dry and windy

October temperatures were generally close to average, although there was less rain than usual. Photo / 123rf

October 2023 weather in Taupō was drier than usual, windy and with temperatures close to the average for the second month of spring.

October is not normally a wet month, but this year only 43 per cent of the expected rain fell, with just 42.5mm falling on only 11 wet days, being as much as 55.5mm below the October average.

Several days proved windy with 12 days recording a peak wind gust of above 40km/h, the top wind speed being 50km/h, recorded on October 10.

Temperatures, on the whole, were close to the average for the month.

The daytime air maximum averaged 17.4C (just 0.3C below) and the night-time air minimum 5.9C (0.4C below) while the daily temperature showed an average of 11.7C (0.3C below).

Just four frosts were recorded, the heaviest being -5.9C on October 4.

The warmest day during the month was a maximum of 22.5C, recorded on October 21, while the coldest air temperature read -3.8C, registered on October 4.

With the La Nina weather pattern appearing to settle in, November is expected to be dominated by westerly-quarter wind conditions bringing brief rain periods as frontal systems pass through, followed by sunny periods from the areas of high pressure that normally follow the fronts.

It is likely that the summer ahead will be hotter than usual as the La Nina pattern dominates.

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