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La Nina is here.
We are already in a La Nina, say weather experts.
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.”
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
The grass may be growing again in the drought-stricken coastal area of Taranaki, but the outlook for many farmers there is far from rosy.
Limping towards the end of the season is how Richard Walker describes the situation he's facing due to prolonged drought in coastal areas of Taranaki.
Many contract milkers in badly drought affected regions around the country are coming under severe financial stress and farm owners are being urged to help them through a bad patch until the start of the new season.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
An independent report, prepared for Alliance farmer shareholders is backing the proposed $250 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats Group.
Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
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