Weather Eye with John Maunder

Rainfalls in Tauranga during the month of April 2014 and April 2013 were both relatively wet, with April 2013 recording 284 mm – the sixth highest April rainfall since 1898 – and April 2014 the total was 225 mm – the 17th highest April rainfall in the city since 1898. In contrast, rainfall in Tauranga for April 2015 was just a little less than the long-term average.

The graph shows the range of rainfalls from a high of 383 mm in 1911 to a low of 10 mm in 1958.

The second wettest April was 1948, when 333 mm was recorded; and the second driest was April 2010 with only 12 mm. The long-term average rainfall for Tauranga for April is 120 mm.

Since 1898, there have been 10 April months with a rainfall of 250 mm or more. In chronological order, the wettest April months are: 1911, 1923, 1935, 1938, 1948, 1959, 1995, 2000, 2001, and 2013.

In terms of dry April months, there have been nine months with rainfall of 30 mm or less. In chronological order, the driest April months are: 1898, 1910, 1913, 1919, 1958, 1979, 1984, 2005, and 2010.

For further information on Tauranga rainfalls, see https://sites.google.com/site/nzrainfalls/newzealandmonthlyrainfalls