Taranaki has seen a share of a significant amount of wind and rain during the summer. Despite having harsh weather, the region of Taranaki has continuously been the sunniest part of New Zealand in 2022.
During the previous year (i.e. 2021), the weather station in New Plymouth recorded 2592 hours of sunshine. Given this figure, Taranaki beat out the Hawke’s Bay in Napier, and Nelson’s Richmond to grab the top spot of being the sunniest region in New Zealand.
By the end of last month (i.e. February 2022), the summer season ended in New Zealand. Despite the said season ending, though, Taranaki has still seen 586 sunshine hours, just slightly higher in comparison to Bay of Plenty’s 550 sunshine hours.
According to NIWA’s summary for summer climate, the 2021/2022 season was New Zealand’s fifth warmest in history. 55 other places in New Zealand have been able to get above average temperatures. These places include towns surrounding Taranaki.
In New Plymouth, the air temperature’s mean average falls at 19.2 degrees Celsius. This temperature is 1.9 above average, and the second temperature that’s highest in history since 1944.
In Stratford, the temperature’s mean average is 17.4 degrees, which is 1.8 above average. On the other hand, Hawera has temperature that’s a little higher at 17.8. This temperature is 1.6 above average than normal.
The highest summer climate temperature in New Zealand was detected in Lake Karapiro on January 4. At that time, the mercury reached 34.7 degrees Celsiius. Manapouri reached the lowest climate temperature of 0 degrees back on February 27.
Hawera, on the other hand, garnered extraordinary amounts of rainfall within the three months of the summer season. Such a situation occurred even though New Zealand’s heat wave has been on for the hot season.
The rain that Hawera experienced was a total of 600 mm. in amount. This amount of rain was the highest since 1977.
In totality, in the south Taranaki town, there was 153 mm. of rainfall only in one day, on February 5, this year. This amount of rainfall was the greatest amount in maximum, within any 24-hour time frame in the last 45 years that passed.
Back in February, Taranaki dealt with two harsh and serious weather calamities, consecutively. This calamity was the culprit for towns within State Highway 45, between Okato and Opunake, to incur floods during the Waitangi weekend. Such an event preceded weather chaos wrought that occurs a week later, due to the dawning of ex tropical cyclone, Dovi, in the Taranaki region.
