Radio NZ on New Zealand's hot weather

'Unprecedented' run of hot weather

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Radio NZ

This summer, hot, dry weather has arrived earlier than usual, causing fears of drought in regions right across the country, including ones that aren't normally affected. MetService says the long run of hot weather at this time of year is unprecedented, and it's not going away anytime soon. The parched weather has got farmers worried about having enough feed to carry through to the summer, while some growers who rely on irrigation, water reserves and acquafers have gone into rationing already. Lynn Freeman talks to MetService meteorologist Erick Brenstrum, Horticulture New Zealand president Julian Raine, and Federated Farmers' Central High Country representative Andrew Patterson.

Effect of climate change on our weather

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Radio NZ

Dr Sam Dean is the chief scientist for climate change at NIWA, he presented a report to Auckland Council yesterday which he refers to as the "encyclopedia" of climate change for Auckland. In it, he details how much hotter and how many more flash floods the region will experience - the number of hot days, (days with temperatures above 25°C), could quadruple and average temperatures increase over the next century. He also has a picture for the rest of the country - and what La Niña could spell for the regions.