Source: Earth Sciences New Zealand
April was dominated by yet more severe weather events – with Cyclone Vaianu in the second week, followed just a week later by a complex low-pressure system that caused widespread impacts, especially across Wellington and the lower and central North Island.
Further highlights:
- The highest temperature was 28.3°C, observed at Alexandra on 2 April.
- The lowest temperature was -5.0°C, observed at Middlemarch 23 April.
- The highest 1-day rainfall was 151 mm, recorded at Arthur’s Pass Village on 17 April.
- The highest wind gust was 194 km/h, observed at Cape Turnagain on 13 April.
- Of the six main centres in April 2026, Auckland was the warmest, Wellington was the wettest, Christchurch was the coolest, driest, and sunniest, and Dunedin was the least sunny.
- The sunniest four regions in 2026 so far are wider Nelson (1044 hours), Taranaki (1019 hours), Bay of Plenty (973 hours) and Tasman (969 hours).