Hawke’s Bay drought closer as 30C temperatures forecast

The threat of drought in Hawke’s Bay looms large after one of the driest Novembers on record, with a forecast for temperatures of about 32C over the next three days and a longer-term outlook that suggests appreciable rain might not appear until February.

Conditions in Hawke's last summer as temperatures neared the hottest of the year. It's drier now, says the forecasters and scientists. Photo / NZME

The dry was highlighted by a recording of barely 7mm of rain in Hastings for last month, barely 10% of the November average, and the fifth consecutive month of below-average rainfall.

In anticipation of a drought, significant destocking of farms is becoming common in some areas. One south of Hastings saying it is at a level not seen in the area for as much as 20 years.

MetService is forecasting maximum temperatures of up to 8C above average for this time of the year for Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne this week, attributing the conditions to humid subtropical air, driven by strong northerlies moving over the country.

Northerly winds are also expected to pick up about Wairarapa and southern Hawke’s Bay, resulting in a Strong Wind Watch overnight into Wednesday morning.

Meteorologist Clare O’Connor said: “Not only are we expecting daytime maximum temperatures to reach the low 30s for the eastern North Island, overnight temperatures will also be unusually warm.”

Midweek, many areas of the lower North Island and upper South Island will experience minimum temperatures of 17C, she said.

The doubts for rain came last week in a longer-range forecast from climate science agency Niwa.