A number of rain bearing fronts have started to appear around NZ giving some farmers comfort at a particularly dry time of year. Officially we are in a neutral period - in other words no La Nina (wetter) and no El Nino (drier). El Nino and La Nina are worked out by sea temperatures and this year, while we're in a neutral period, the atmosphere above doesn't seem to quite agree. Lately La Nina-type weather has been developing with lows and rain bearing fronts popping up all over the place. The biggest difference between this Summer and last is the fact that the highs aren't holding firm over NZ. Literally last summer we had a high covering most of NZ for most of the Summer months - that stopped rain getting into the usual places and led to unusual droughts in regions like Southland and Waikato. This year the biggest difference would be that the highs are moving offshore quickly and allowing lows to move in and deposit rain mostly along the west coast with a few sprinkles making it to the east. At least one or two lows a week seem to have been impacting our country lately reports The NZ Herald. A developing low early next week may also see a little bit of rain moving in to our driest regions, such as the east coast. But rainfall estimations by the Weather Watch Centre aren't high - predicting just a 40 per cent to 60 per cent chance of anything precipitation. With a low moving in from the west that usually means just a few sprinkles on the roof for those in the east. What the east coast desperately needs is a low to form to the east of New Zealand - but that's not in the picture at this stage..
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