MenuMain navigation

Soil moisture

Soil moisture

Very dry soils

There were still significant soil moisture deficits at the end of April in the southwest of the North Island, and in Marlborough, south Canterbury, and much of east and Central Otago.

Some areas that were particularly dry at the end of March, including eastern areas of the North Island and the South Island east coast from Kaikoura to north Canterbury, recorded improved moisture levels during the month after near or above average rainfall.

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

Archived

This page has been marked as archived, and is here for historical reference only.

Information provided may be out of date, and you are advised to check for newer sources in this section.

This content may be removed at a later date.