Auckland set to break longest dry spell on record with 40 days of no rain

Thursday, 13 February 2020

Auckland is set to break a record for the region’s longest dry spell, according to NIWA forecasters.

On Saturday it will be 40 consecutive days since the region last had rainfall, breaking the previous record of 39 days set in 2013.

NIWA forcaster Ben Noll said with no rain forecast, it was almost certain to become 40 days on Saturday.

The New Zealand Drought Index showed severe meteorological drought was widespread across Northland, Auckland, and northern Waikato.

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Meteorological drought has also emerged in northern Gisborne and northern Canterbury. Much of the rest of the country was unusually dry, except for the western and lower South Island.

Noll said the minimum amount of water in the soil that a plant required not to wilt or die was being approached in Northland, Auckland, and Waikato.

'Soil moisture deficit levels during early 2020 are quite similar to 2013, with Northland's deficits even more severe this year,' he said. 

The summer of 2012-13 featured one of the worst droughts in decades for parts of Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, and the western South Island.

Noll said the drought has been caused by a blocking ridge of high pressure near the North Island that has helped steer dry, westerly quarter winds from Australia for much of the summer.

'The drought will end when soil moisture levels return to normal. However, impacts of drought can continue for some time after that,' he said.

NIWA's climate projections indicate that drought was likely to become more frequent and severe in eastern and northern parts of New Zealand in the coming decades.

A dry spell is defined as consecutive days with less than 1 mm of rain.

The current record for the greater Auckland area was 39 days.

Earlier in February, some rural Aucklanders left their homes to live with friends until their tanks could be refilled due to water shortages.