28 February 2007
Outlook for water resources in spring 2003
Dry conditions in eastern New Zealand at the beginning of September were alleviated by good early spring rainfall. The National Climate Centre’s rainfall outlook for October–December 2003 is for normal or above normal rain in the west, and normal or below normal rain in the east. We expect normal or above normal flows for this period in rivers in the west, and normal or possibly below normal in the east. Groundwater levels in parts of the eastern South Island are likely to be normal to below normal. We expect that in the regions with lower than normal river flows the water clarity and periphyton cover will be higher than normal.