Getting drier

Soil moisture levels continued to fall almost everywhere over the last week according to Niwa. As of Wednesday the driest soil levels compared to normal for this time of year were on the Aupo¯uri Peninsula, in the New Plymouth District and parts of western coastal Waikato. Levels were near normal in a few areas, including the eastern Whanga¯rei District. The Northland ‘hotspot’ had dissipated in parts of the eastern Far North and Whanga¯rei district.