Editorial: Preparing for drought
OPINION: Farmers along the east coast of both islands are being urged to start planning for drought as recent nor'west winds have left soil moisture levels depleted.
Lisa Murray, MetService communications meteorologist, says we are officially in a La Nina. NIWA also confirmed to Rural News we are already in a La Nina.
Murray told Rural News usually the effects of a La Nina are not seen until late summer or early autumn.
But a big “blocking” high had been lingering for two weeks, she said last week. It was expected to stay put for another week before slowly moving off.
“In the farming community everything was too wet not long ago, just before October. The farmers couldn’t even get their equipment onto the land because it was sinking, it was so soggy. Now to this very quick drying… the weather pattern changed at the beginning of October and suddenly we have these great big ridges.”
Most areas are dryer than normal except a few North Island eastern regions.
La Nina can bring various weather patterns, but generally the summers temperatures are a higher than normal. The South Island has already had heatwaves - five days in a row when the temperature is 5° Celsius above average.
“We’ve had two of those already in the South Island. This is only in November – we are not even in summer yet.”
