Video will play in Play now Don't auto playNever auto playThe big wet and the bone-dry: It's been a tale of two summers for people on either side of the country. Conditions in pockets of Wairarapa, Marlborough and northern Canterbury were similarly dry, while other eastern areas upwards of Canterbury showed deficits of between 90mm and 110mm. "We've now got some incredibly dry spots on the east and in the north of the North Island. An abundance of grass across dry areas this season meant there was more potential fuel for fires compared with previous summers. "Some longer range models, which aren't so reliable, perhaps show a rain-maker for some eastern areas in 11 or 12 days' time, but our confidence is minimal about this."

Source: New Zealand Herald January 31, 2017 02:00 UTC