NZ drought of 2013 worst in 66 years, study shows

A comparative study on New Zealand’s 2013 drought confirms it was i of the virtually extreme on tape for the reason too the worst since 1945-46.

The 2013 drought was besides i of the virtually widespread New Zealand has experienced, amongst exclusively the drought of 1972-73 that affected Wairarapa, Tasman, Otago too Southland coming closed to its geographical spread.

The report, released this calendar week yesteryear the Ministry for Primary Industries, says the sweat of the drought was non El Niño precisely inwards fact slow-moving or “blocking” high pressure level systems over the Tasman Sea too New Zealand over summer.

Commissioned yesteryear the ministry building too undertaken yesteryear National Institute of Water too Atmospheric Researcg (Niwa), the study looked at 2 sets of information records – Niwa’s gridded Virtual Climate Station Network that goes dorsum to 1972, too longer-term station records that larn dorsum to the early on 1940s.

Calculations of a drought index known equally potential evapotranspiration deficit (PED), which measures estimates of soil H2O content showed that 2013 was the worst drought since 1972, too specially serious for the North Island.

The longer-record station calculations dot that inwards some regions it was the virtually severe drought since 1945-46.

The areas virtually affected yesteryear the 2012-13 drought were southern Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Central North Island, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, too parts of the northward too westward of the South Island.

Niwa principal scientist Brett Mullan says the July 2012-May 2013 PED accumulation was the worst since 1972 over one-third of the North Island.

“Previous severe droughts occurred inwards 1972-73 too 1997-98, both El Niño years. This latest drought was different, beingness related to persistent high pressure level centres over New Zealand during summertime – a tendency that is increasing according to century-long pressure level records.”

The ministry’s resources policy director for North Island regions, Stuart Anderson, says the study provides a solid film of the drought’s extent too severity.

“Anecdotally, nosotros were told the drought was the worst some farmers had experienced precisely it is of import to lead maintain this analysis to empathise how dry out the regions were compared to previous droughts.”

Anderson says that although the drought weather condition lead maintain dissipated amongst the onslaught of wintertime too many farms lead maintain started to recover next the expert tumble conditions, the economical too social impact of the drought continues to live on felt around the country.

“The recent snowfall makes it harder for farmers to run into themselves through the wintertime too cause exercise feed furnish too pastures. The adverse final result proclamation of the drought volition stay inwards house until September 30, which volition permit rural communities to larn through wintertime too into early on spring.”

Declaration of an adverse final result agency that the Government provides extra funding through Rural Support Trusts to back upwardly rural communities, too that some people experiencing hardship may besides live on eligible for income back upwardly through Rural Assistance Payments. Some taxation measures tin plough over the sack besides live on accessed through Inland Revenue.

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