Tauranga vs New Plymouth: which is sunnier?
🇳🇿 New Zealand vs 🇳🇿 New Zealand · 230 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Tauranga is the sunnier overall: about 2,513 hours of sunshine a year to New Plymouth's 2,321. Tauranga has the higher Sunshine Score in 9 of 12 months; the other 3 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Tauranga | New Plymouth | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,513 | 2,321 |
| Sunniest month | January (81/100) | January (80/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 78/100 | 74/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 38/100 | 31/100 |
| Rain / year | 1,149 mm | 1,230 mm |
| Warmest sea | 21°C / 70°F | 21°C / 70°F |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 11 (extreme) |
Tauranga vs New Plymouth month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tauranga | New Plymouth | Tauranga | New Plymouth | Tauranga | New Plymouth | Tauranga | New Plymouth | |
| January | 81 | 80 | 22° | 21° | 70 | 69 | 21° | 21° |
| February | 79 | 78 | 23° | 22° | 79 | 80 | 21° | 20° |
| March | 78 | 77 | 21° | 21° | 84 | 82 | 20° | 19° |
| April | 68 | 61 | 19° | 18° | 107 | 103 | 19° | 18° |
| May | 55 | 47 | 17° | 16° | 110 | 123 | 17° | 17° |
| June | 41 | 34 | 15° | 14° | 123 | 128 | 16° | 15° |
| July | 35 | 29 | 14° | 13° | 124 | 121 | 15° | 14° |
| August | 37 | 29 | 14° | 13° | 112 | 118 | 14° | 13° |
| September | 45 | 42 | 15° | 15° | 94 | 107 | 15° | 14° |
| October | 59 | 49 | 17° | 16° | 84 | 105 | 16° | 15° |
| November | 76 | 64 | 19° | 18° | 60 | 85 | 17° | 17° |
| December | 75 | 72 | 21° | 20° | 102 | 109 | 19° | 18° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr Tauranga · May Tauranga · Jun Tauranga · Jul Tauranga · Aug Tauranga · Sep Tauranga · Oct Tauranga · Nov Tauranga · Dec Tauranga.
When to pick which
- November–February: Tauranga (average score 78/100 vs 74). Daytime highs are similar (21°C vs 20°C).
- March–May: Tauranga (average score 67/100 vs 62). Daytime highs are similar (19°C vs 18°C).
- June–August: Tauranga (average score 38/100 vs 31). Daytime highs are similar (14°C vs 13°C).
- September–October: Tauranga (average score 52/100 vs 46). Daytime highs are similar (16°C vs 16°C).
Sea temperature
Both seas peak at 21°C / 70°F. Swimmable water (21°C+): Tauranga about 2 months a year, New Plymouth about 1 month a year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Tauranga weather by month · New Plymouth weather by month · Best time to visit New Zealand.
More comparisons: Tauranga vs Auckland · Tauranga vs Napier · New Plymouth vs Auckland · New Plymouth vs Wellington · New Plymouth vs Palmerston North · all head-to-heads