Some regions across New Zealand need rain – and two weeks before summer even officially begins says WeatherWatch.co.nz.

The weather news authority says farmers in Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay are especially wanting more rain – as are those who rely on rain water across a number of parts in New Zealand, from the north to some in the south.

However WeatherWatch.co.nz’s head weather analyst Philip Duncan says while temperatures are down in many areas, dry weather in November is fairly normal.  “We have to remember that the westerlies are still the prevailing wind and that we’re still in spring – this tends to bring dry weather to eastern New Zealand, on the side of the ranges to where the rain is falling”.

Mr Duncan told Jamie McKay from Radio Sport’s Farming Show today that November’s weather is often fairly fickle. “Our highs aren’t as strong as they were when spring first started, but neither are our lows.  The winter storms are now well south of us while the tropical storms haven’t yet started.  The weather can often be a bit bland”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says the rest of November will be fairly similar weather-wise but that summer heat should start to increase as we head through December.

“Sometimes in November we’ve seen the westerlies crank up and we’ve reached 30 degrees and higher in places like Christchurch and Napier – this November we don’t have those warm winds so the daytime highs are pretty much around average to even below average while the overnight lows are certainly well down in the south where the true warming is yet to begin”.

Mr Duncan says December is a funny month that in some years justify the start of summer, while others years – perhaps including 2012 – it may be more of a gradual transition into summer.

– Homepage image / Debbie Zillwood

– WeatherWatch.co.nz