Dry Canterbury is yet again being surrounded by rain-makers this month – but the forecast for the region is still a mostly dry one for the next 10 to 14 days ahead, says WeatherWatch.co.nz.

While the outlook isn’t all doom and gloom, with rain-makers increasingly approaching the Canterbury region, the angle the rain is coming from still isn’t the most favourable for soaking rains in all the areas that need it most.

The 10-day forecast for Canterbury looks mainly dry – with rain mostly coming in the form of “spillover” from the West Coast, or from northerlies coming down over the North Island and Nelson/Marlborough.  A cold front this Saturday night/Sunday morning may also produce a few downpours here and there – but not widespread.

Some data suggests there might be a better chance for soaking rains in the final days of June, but the flow may still be SW.  A low just east of Canterbury driving in a wet east to south east flow would be ideal for reversing the Canterbury drought.  At least two days of set-in rain is needed for many parts of the region, although in the past month there have been pockets of relief, like Banks Peninsula, which has had plenty of rain.

Map : Today’s soil moisture deficit map by NIWA (owned by NZ Taxpayers)

– WeatherWatch.co.nz