Chance of rain some hope for Bay farmers

Hawke's Bay farmers fear a drought is on the cards.

Farmers across Hawke's Bay will be looking to the skies with hopes of mercy today with the possibility some thunderstorms may arrive to bring some relief from fears of a drought over the next few months.

There are no promises, warns a MetService forecaster, who says that if the thunderstorms do arrive they will bring significant rain and possibly hail to isolated areas, but even with further showers forecast tomorrow and Thursday no one's going to get the 75mm of rain the Hawke's Bay Regional Council says is needed "to get pasture growth starting again".

With virtually no rain for almost five weeks - although early December rain was more than the monthly average over the past 30 years - soil moisture levels are low.

The council says that's clear from the drying and browning of hillsides around the region, and adds: "Aquifer levels are dropping and are already low in some areas.

"River flows have been below normal for three months or more for most of the region's rivers, although rainfall in the ranges has been some help by boosting flows into the headwaters of the main rivers."

MetService forecaster Chelsea Glue said late yesterday: "You could get some heavy rain in isolated areas in the afternoon or evening, starting in western areas and moving eastward, but we're not 100 per cent sure.

"It's probably pushing itto say anyone will get 75mm [of rain]."

Long fine spells and light winds are forecast for late in the week.

Hawke's Bay remained one of the warmest areas of the country yesterday, with Hastings at one stage in the early afternoon having the highest temperature, although still under 28C. It got no closer to the 30C forecast.

The day's high in Wairoa was 28.4C and the maximum in Waipukurau was about 27C.

Climate agency Niwa maps highlight the potential of drought in its regularly updated maps showing average January rainfall, compared with the current situation.