As parts of the country soak up some rain this weekend, we thought we’d canvass our readers before Cyclone Lusi made itself felt nationwide, and try to ascertain how many kiwis desperately need it.

Our latest poll asked the question ‘How dry is your place?’ and judging by your responses, a good period of wet weather is just what the doctor ordered.

Just under 50% of our respondents (48.9% to be exact) told us it’s drier now than this time last year, and you’ll remember that this time last year the country was in the grip of a nationwide drought.

Some of the commenters elaborated, with one person from Christchurch saying it was:

“surprisingly drier than you would think after last weeks rain.  The Council, CERA and the Government should be commended on the job they have done fixing up the infrastructure around the drainage.  The city was well and truly munted after 2011.”

While another from Coatesville told us:

“I have declared drought at my place. Two of my paddocks have cracks as bad as the ones in the picture, the rest of my paddocks have lesser cracks – but the paddocks are still covered in them. I have no grass now, and the water tanks are empty.”

Fingers crossed that the rain comes in the right amount this weekend, and in the right places!