KEY POINTS:
Auckland has been hit by drought conditions with just half the normal rainfall levels expected in February, forcing vegetable growers to adopt emergency measures to save their crops.
MetService figures show Auckland - which usually has around 80mm of rain in February - has had just 35mm so far.
Whangaparaoa Peninsula was the country's driest area during past weeks, with no rain at all since February 7.
Central parts of the North Island were rain-free since February 8.
In the South Island, Nelson Airport topped the list of dry zones, with no rain since February 12.
The driest February on record for Auckland was in 2000 when just 8mm of rain was recorded. The wettest February was in 1967 with 232mm of rain.
The dry conditions are taking a toll.
Pukekohe Growers agronomist Shane Smith said vegetable growers were irrigating crops "flat out" and were struggling to get around them quick enough.
Mr Smith said the vegetables grown outdoors were stressed.
He said the conditions had an upside for potato lovers - they were more flavoursome when water was slowly absorbed.
Metrowater said dam levels were average for this time of year but residents in areas with water tanks were running low on water.
Mike Stuart, who lives in Maraetai, southeast of Auckland, bought water last week for the first time in three years.
"The tankers are always around a little bit but you know when its getting dry because the tankers are just everywhere," he said.
His family had shortened showers and stopped watering the garden.
Waitakere rural fire officer Karl Nuttall said the heavy dowsing of rain before Christmas had kept down the fire danger in West Auckland.
"Ours is only just climbing into that moderate area."
MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt predicted a few showers for parts of Auckland tomorrow but the city would dry up again with a high pressure system forecast to dominate over much of the country until the weekend.
"At this stage the seasonal outlook is that March will bring more anticyclones, mixed with frontal systems.
"We will also be vulnerable to low-pressure systems moving in from the north."
Mr McDavitt said some people considered tomorrow to be the first day of autumn but he regarded the equinox on March 21 as the change of season.
Rainfall
* 35mm Rain this month
* 80mm Auckland's average rainfall for February
