Hotspot Watch
Hotspot Watch
A weekly update
describing soil moisture across the country to help assess
whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring
or imminent. Regions experiencing these soil moisture
deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot
regions have the potential to develop into
drought.
Facts: Soil
Moisture
Across the North Island, soil moisture levels have decreased almost everywhere during the past two weeks. The most substantial decreases were observed in Northland, Auckland, northern Waikato, and the Coromandel Peninsula. Smaller decreases also occurred in the Wellington region, southern Manawatu-Wanganui, and much of Taranaki. Meanwhile, small increases in soil moisture levels were observed in western Bay of Plenty and the East Cape.
The driest soils across the North Island compared to normal for this time of the year are found in the Far North, while the wettest soils for this time of the year are found in small areas of western and central Bay of Plenty. Hotspots are now in place across nearly the entire eastern coast of the North Island, the Coromandel Peninsula, far northern Waikato, Auckland, and all of Northland. In fact, soils in the Coromandel Peninsula, Auckland, and Northland are extremely drier than normal.
Across the South Island, soil moisture levels have generally decreased in eastern areas while generally increasing in western areas during the past two weeks. The most substantial decreases were observed in eastern and central Southland, much of Otago, and southern Canterbury. Meanwhile, substantial increases were observed in western Southland. Smaller increases occurred in Tasman as well as the Buller, Hurunui, and Kaikoura districts. The driest soils in the South Island compared to normal for this time of the year are found from coastal Clutha district to interior Southland, while the wettest soils for this time of year are found in far western Southland, western Tasman, and the far northern West Coast. Small hotspots are in place from coastal to interior Otago as well as on Banks Peninsula.
Outlook and Soil Moisture
For much of the North Island, little rainfall is expected during the next week. Isolated showers may move through western and southern areas over the upcoming weekend, but amounts will only be a couple millimetres. The same areas may see additional light showers early next week (9th-10th January), but rain amounts will be no more than about 5 mm. Regions such as Northland, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay may see little if any rainfall during the next week.
With minimal rainfall
expected across the North Island, soil moisture levels are
expected to decrease nearly everywhere in the next week. The
large hotspots along the eastern coast and in the northern
North Island will continue to strengthen, and new hotspot
areas will likely develop across central and southern
Waikato and Manawatu-Wanganui.
For the South Island, a
few showers will move across most locations on Friday (6th
January), with generally 10-15 mm along the West Coast and
up to 5 mm elsewhere. Additional showers could produce up to
10 mm in Otago and southern Canterbury on Saturday. Isolated
showers will produce minimal rainfall early next week, with
another storm possibly bringing up to 25 mm to the West
Coast on Wednesday (11th January).
Generally low rainfall in the eastern and northern parts of the South Island during the next week will likely lead to further decreases in soil moisture levels, while increases will be possible along much of the West Coast. The current hotspots on Banks Peninsula and in Otago may strengthen and expand during the next week, especially across southern Canterbury and interior Otago. A new hotspot may also form in northern Marlborough.
Background:
Hotspot Watch a weekly
advisory service for New Zealand media. It provides soil
moisture and precipitation measurements around the country
to help assess whether extremely dry conditions are
imminent.
Soil moisture deficit: the
amount of water needed to bring the soil moisture content
back to field capacity, which is the maximum amount of water
the soil can hold.
Soil moisture
anomaly: the difference between the historical
normal soil moisture deficit (or surplus) for a given time
of year and actual soil moisture
deficits.
Definitions: “Extremely”
and “severely” dry soils are based on a combination of
the current soil moisture status and the difference from
normal soil moisture (see soil moisture maps at https://www.niwa.co.nz/climate/nz-drought-monitor/droughtindicatormaps)