El Nino seen abating but NZ primary sector not out of the woods given size of event

Tue, 05 Jan 2016

By Jonathan Underhill Jan. 6 (BusinessDesk) - The El Nino weather pattern, among the three strongest since 1950, is expected to abate through summer and autumn but given its intensity, New Zealand farmers are still at risk of drought, says the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. Niwa is due to release its first Hotspot Watch report for 2016 and monthly climate report on Friday. The last Hotspot on Dec. 24 showed drier-than-normal soil moisture across much of the North Island and in the northern and east of the South Isla...

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