2020년 2월 15일 오클랜드 지난 40일 동안 비 한 방울 안내려 종전 2013년 39일 기록 갱신, 남섬에는 싸이클론 영향으로 폭우.

 

 

2020년 2월 15일 오클랜드 지난 40일 동안 비 한 방울 안내려 종전 2013년 39일 기록 갱신, 남섬에는 싸이클론 영향으로 폭우...

 

No rain on horizon: Auckland set to break dry weather record - 3:08 pm on 13 February 2020

 

When Auckland's dry spell reaches 40 days on Saturday, it will become the longest on record

The current record for the Greater Auckland area is 39 days, set in 2013.

 

With no rain forecast before Sunday, Auckland is about to break a record for the city's longest dry spell while other parts of the country are also approaching record periods of almost no rainfall.

 

The upper North Island is seeing severe drought conditions, leaving Northland parched after an unusually early start to the dry season, while parts of Waikato have not seen any decent rain since December. That's on top of a fairly dry year.

 

Much of the rest of the country is drier than normal - causing water restrictions in areas like New Plymouth, Gisborne, Wellington and parts of the South Island.

 

Experts say the droughts will affect our forests, lowering their carbon uptake, hindering efforts to monitor kauri dieback disease, and increasing the fire risk. Also, dry areas could be just as prone to flooding, when rain eventually does arrive.

 

Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said it would take several heavy rainfall events to alleviate the extremely dry conditions that are affecting parts of the country.

 

"From Taranaki through Northland, including Waikato and Auckland, as well as parts of the Tasman District in the South Island, soil moisture is down 50mm and would require a month's worth of rain or more to be replenished.

 

"Several locations across the upper South Island, including Takaka (46 days), Blenheim (53 days), Cheviot (49 days), Culverden (45 days), Rangiora (45 days), and Hanmer Forest (40 days) have experienced record or near-record long dry spells.

"The list will expand during February with several North Island sites likely joining."

 

A dry spell is defined as a day having less than 1mm of rain.

Noll said it's likely the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Uesi will bring some rain to the lower South Island but the North Island will miss out, although some rain may be on the way from the end of next week.