Soil moisture

Soil moisture recovery in northland

Northern soil moisture levels rose following high rainfalls particularly in Northland and Waikato, but also in Manawatu and Horowhenua. At the end of May, soils were unusually wet from Bay of Plenty down the east coast to Kaikoura. Otago soils remained a little drier than average in some places.

 

Soil moisture deficit in the pasture root zone at the end of May (right) compared with the deficit at the same time last year (centre) and the long-term end of May average (left). The analysis is done for an average soil type where the available water capacity is taken to be 150 mm.