Over a month without rain has left the slopes of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill tinder dry. File photo / Jason Oxenham
Over a month without rain has left the slopes of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill tinder dry. File photo / Jason Oxenham
If you woke up with a sprinkling of rain on your car this morning - don't get too excited.
MetService says the rain was so light Auckland Airport's rain gauge didn't even register it.
Meteorologist Kyle Lee said a weak front moving over Auckland could bring "a shower or two" this morning but there was minimal chance of it breaking the current record dry spell - set to hit 41 days today.
"It doesn't look like anything significant really. It's meant to be pretty light and it's meant to be north of the city."
Auckland made history on Saturday, reaching 40 days with less than 1mm of rain, overtaking the drought of 2013.
Northland, Auckland and the northern Waikato are in severe meteorological drought, according to Niwa, while the rest of the North Island and parts of the south are also extremely dry.
Rain radar shows the lightest of showers passing over Auckland and further north this morning. Image / MetService
However with ex-Cyclone Uesi due to affect the South Island today, parts of the country are due for a drenching.
The deep low is lying just west of Fiordland, and is expected to bring heavy rain to the west of the island today and early Monday.
Gales can also be expected in the Canterbury High Country, Westland and Fiordland.
Heavy rain warnings are in force for Fiordland, Westland, Buller and the headwaters of the Canterbury and Otago lakes and rivers, while the ranges of western Nelson are under a heavy rain watch.
#CycloneUesi will impact the South Island on Sunday.
🌧️ Rainfall totals of 200-400 mm are likely in Fiordland & Alps, which could lead to surface flooding & swelling of rivers.
