Northland declared drought zone

Northland declared drought zone as climatologists predict wetter than normal La Nina weather

By Peter Kerr

Dec. 8 (BusinessDesk) - Climatologists are still expecting a normal to wetter than normal summer for the Northland area that has just been declared a medium-level drought zone by Agriculture Minister David Carter.

Carter's declaration for all areas north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge triggers farmers' relief measures including funding for Rural Support Trusts to provide help, welfare support and farm management advice.

"The situation in Northland is serious," he says. "Farmers are still recovering from last summer's drought and they're now facing it all over again, weeks earlier than expected. Even if there is a wet summer, as some weather experts are predicting, this won't change the severity of the situation as Northland has experienced its driest spring on record."

Farmers have been urged to look at stocking rates and feed levels, and that many will have to make hard decisions with regards to animal performance.

NIWA agricultural climatologist, Alan Porteous, said the La Nina weather pattern, which tends to favour a north-easterly wind flow rather than a westerly wind pattern, should bring rain to Northland over the summer period.

Porteous' caveats are that "this doesn't mean normal every week or month, but is a predictive total for the three months to the end of February."

This could mean a week or even month's worth of rain in one event.

The timing of rain to break a drought is also important, Porteous said.

"If you get rain scattered over a month or so, that doesn't break it," he says. "What you really need is 15 or 20mm over a day or so, some sunshine, and then another dollop. It's about the right amount and its timing."

(BusinessDesk)

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