Weather Eye with John Maunder

This year, Tauranga had its warmest October since records began in 1913.

Temperatures have been recorded in the Tauranga area at several sites in the last 100 years, including the current Tauranga Airport site from June 1990.

The graph shows details of the average daily maximum temperatures (called simply ‘afternoon') for Tauranga for October from 1913-2013.

The long-term average afternoon temperature in October for Tauranga is 18.1 degrees Celsius, ranging from the cool October months of 1964 (15.7 degrees Celsius), and 1992 (16.5 degrees Celsius), to the warm October months of 2013 (20.3 degrees Celsius), and 1915 (19.9 degrees Celsius).

The graph of the average afternoon temperatures for October shows generally normal variations from October to October during the last 100 years. But of note, are the three warm Octobers in the consecutive years 1913, 1914 and 1915.

The average October afternoon temperatures during the 50 years from 1963-2011 of 18 degrees Celsius is slightly cooler than the 18.3 degrees Celsius recorded in the 50 years from 1914-1961.

From 1913 to 2013, there have been 12 October months with an average afternoon temperature of degrees Celsius or more; and eight October months have had an average afternoon temperature of 17 degrees Celsius or less.

The four warmest October months (in terms of afternoon temperatures), on record, in chronological order, are 1913, 1915, 1940, and 2013.

By contrast, the fifth coolest October months (in terms of afternoon temperatures), on record, in chronological order, are 1941, 1964, 1978, 1982, and 1992.

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