Find out if it's safe to swim at your local river, lake or beach. Recreational water quality Every Tuesday, from 1 November to 31 March, TRC check the water quality at 41 recreational rivers, lakes and beach sites all over Taranaki. Water sampling results take 3 days from the time of testing to publishing on our website. If you plan to swim today, here are some signs to look out for before jumping into the water. Has it rained in the last three days? Rain washes contaminants from land into
page
Monthly Year to Date
Hydro_Sites # days >
0.5 mm
Total
Rainfall
(mm)
% of
typical
month
Total to
date (mm)
% of typical
year to date
% of typical
full year
Records
Began
North Egmont at
Visitors Centre 17 713.0 112.0 2257.0 99.2 33.6 1991
Dawson Falls 16 555.0 120.1 2196.5 139.5 48.8 1933
Kahui Hut 20 563.5 125.2 1665.0 101.3 34.5 2006
Mangorei Upper at
Forest Hill 17 450.5 118.6 1512.0
rainfall sites recorded figures well above their
averages for the three winter months. Our site
at Patea recorded rainfall figures that were 167%
above its average amount for those months, yet
it was still the driest of our 27 rainfall monitoring
sites around the region. Perhaps you could spare
a thought for the people working in the Dawson
Falls area, as a staggering 2,723mls of rain fell at
that site over the winter period.
Congratulations to the 55 schools, 51 early
We had a mostly dry February in Taranaki with average rainfall of 63.5mm – 44% less than usual for the month. Brooklands Zoo at New Plymouth had 78% less rain than normal while Omaru at Charlies (in the Southern Hill Country) had 8% less rain than an average February. The dry trend which started in January continued with year to date rainfall an average 22% less than normal, including 48% less at Pātea at Stratford. Mean river flows for February were 45% of typical values, low flows were 29%
page
Map1: Rain gauge sites
Table 1: Rainfall monthly and year to date totals at 27 rain gauge sites in Taranaki.
June Year to Date
Hydro_Sites # days >
0.5 mm
Total
Rainfall
(mm)
% of
typical
month
Total to
date (mm)
% of typical
year to date
% of typical
full year
Records
Began
North Egmont at
Visitors Centre 8 658.0 98.4 2915.0 99.0 43.4 1991
Dawson Falls 5 906.0 191.2 3102.5 151.4 68.9 1933
Kahui
The wet weather we had in August continued last month with an average of 169.7mm – or 9% more than usual. There was 46% more than usual at Tawhiti at Duffys while Motunui M39 at Weston W3 had 41% less than normal. Year-to-date rainfall is lowest at Waitotara at Hawken Rd with 30% less rainfall than normal, Pohokura Saddle has had the highest year-to-date rainfall with 1% more than normal, on average there has been 14% less than normal across all rain gauges. Mean river flows for September were
LRT000450 LRT000300 LRT000450
21 Oct 2021 76.95
Overcast; rain in
last week No wind No wind
Slightly turbid,
green-brown; flat
Slightly turbid,
green-brown; flat
21 Feb 2022 77.35
Heavy rain week
prior, warm, calm,
dry
No wind
Light
breeze Turbid, brown, flat Turbid, brown; flat
21 Mar 2022 76.47
Moderate rain,
heavy rain
overnight, overcast
Light
breeze
Light
breeze
Clear, dark green;
rippled
Slightly turbid,
brown; rippled
29 Jun
page
Monthly Year to Date
Hydro_Sites
# days >
0.5 mm
Total Rainfall
(mm)
% of typical
month
Total to date
(mm)
% of typical
year to date
% of typical
full year
Records
Began
North Egmont at
Visitors Centre
14 342.5 70.0 1544.0 94.2 23.0 1991
Dawson Falls 14 379.5 105.9 1641.5 147.5 *36.5 1933
Kahui Hut 17 280.5 72.2 1101.5 92.3 22.8 2006
Mangorei Upper 10 112.0 41.9 1061.5 128.7 29.7 2017
Hillsborough 5
December was a slightly drier and warmer month than usual for most of Taranaki with 159.1mm of rainfall – 3% less than usual. There was 3% less rainfall than average, ranging from 60% less rain at Kaupokonui at Glenn Rd to 61% more rain than normal at Waiwhakaiho at Hillsborough. The year's rainfall ranges from 12% less rainfall at Omahine at Moana Trig, and 10% more rainfall at Omaru at Charlies, with an average of 2% less than a normal year. The average air temperature for Taranaki was
November was a slightly wetter and cooler month than usual for most of Taranaki with 143.9mm of rainfall – 3% more than usual. There was 3% more rainfall than average, ranging from 32% less rain at Kaupokonui at Glenn Rd to 39% more rain than normal at Waiwhakaiho at Hillsborough. Year to date rainfall ranges from 11% less rainfall at Pohokura Saddle, and 12% more rainfall at Omaru at Charlies, with an average of 2% less than normal. The average air temperature for Taranaki was 13.5°C, which is