[dilanium]

My husband and I are looking to go see Northland for a week during my mid-semester break. We were thinking about camping, but I'm wondering if it will be too cold to camp then. It will be the week directly following Easter Weekend. Can anyone who lives up there give me an idea of what the weather is like near that time of year (I looked it up via google, I'm just looking for personal experience with the weather).

Also- does anyone have any recommendations for fun activities up there?

Thanks!

[Nick88]

Tough one to answer, Liz. That time of year is very variable (even more so than usual). The only suggestion I can make is to keep an eye on Metvew and try and predict what to pack.

[clairelouise]

If it's any help, we've spent the last week or so at an average of about 22-24C and we're in shorts still too. It rained for 10 minutes or so the other day, but mainly its really sunny right now. Much cooler very early mornings, although I expect you'll not be wanting to get up as early as you've been having to right Liz?! :laugh

This is my first April though, so I don't know if its normal, freaky or whatever, sorry:D

[JandM]

I don't know if this is properly Northland or not, but you might pass nearby on your way there or back. http://www.glassbottomboat.co.nz/

And this might be a bit of a busman's holiday for you, but I'd go. http://www.whangareinativebirdrecovery.org.nz/index.html

Cape Reinga is impressive, and there is some good walking around there, both near the point, and farther back, in the woods between the road and 90-Mile Beach. (Some were just plantations, but there are some wild areas, too.) I seem to remember you're a contact-lens wearer, Liz - it's misery at the point and the beach if the wind is strong, as the sand comes at you horizontally, so pick another day!

http://www.acacia.co.nz/ We stayed at this place (just in case you decide it's not warm enough to camp). This was in August, 2007, obviously out of season, and they had an offer on - $135 for two nights, with free breakfast 'on the first day', only there turned out to be enough of it to do for both days.

[YouMeAndThree]

Well us and another family are going up there camping together after Easter - days are warm here in Auckland, but chilly first thing. It will be too late to report back I guess.

See you up there prehaps.

Lx

[Potato]

The weather is still likely to be warm, or fairly warm. Northland is naturally a damp climate, but that doesn't mean that it *will* rain.
The biggest risk of scuppering it would be an ex-tropical cyclone, which can come down in April. That would bring a lot of rain and wind but at least it wouldn't be cold.

Here are the averages:

Kaitaia: Daily high of 21C, low of 13C; 95mm of rain
Whangarei: Daily high of 20C, low of 13C; 130mm of rain

Both have an average of 11 "wet days" (days with at least 1mm of rain) in April, and an average of 5 hours a day of bright sunshine.

The week directly following easter looks to be shaping up decently at the moment:

http://www.ecmwf.int/products/forecasts/d/charts/medium/deterministic/msl_uv850_z500!Wind%20850%20and%20mslp!240!Austral ia!pop!od!oper!public_plots!2009040412!!/

High pressure dominating Northland, a front approaching, but another high behind that.
Nothing to worry about at this stage.

There's plenty to do in Northland, aside from what has already been mentioned - the Waipoua Forest (giant kauris); Hokianga Harbour (a pleasant area); Kai Iwi Lakes (good swimming, warm water); Karikari Peninsula (mainly for the beaches at the end, or you could stop off at NZ's most northern winery).

[CJ22]

If you're heading all the way north, I can recommend the beach/campsite at Tapotupotu Bay. It's a very scenic spot, and a stone's throw from Cape Reinga.

Turn off to Tapotupotu Bay (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=-34.442238,172.700572&spn=0,359.961376&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=-34.442173,172.7005&panoid=8GtIvSiPXhjYlbyJymy2XA&cbp=12,1.51479555168017,,0,16.2)

Tapotupotu Bay (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=-34.436885,172.714756&spn=0.006459,0.009656&t=h&z=17)