Une fois n'est pas coutume un petit article de presse, du "Dominion Post" (le journal de Wellington et la region) ! En plus ca vous fait reviser votre anglais !

Apres avoir quittee la France sans neige et avoir entendu que la NZ subissait son plus mauvais ete, je debarque la bas en fevrier... et oh miracle il fait beau et chaud ! Pratiquement pas de pluie en 1 mois (enfin si aujourd'hui, jour ou sort l'article... :D  ) et voila que la nouvelle tombe ! La Nouvelle Zelande souffre de secheresse ! Qui aurait cru.... mais c est vrai que les champs sont un peu jaune tout de meme....

"Dominion Post, Tuesday, 13 March 2007

Season of extremes

Forecasters say the rain predicted for this week will do little to ease the conditions that have led to water restrictions and the prediction of trouble for farmers.

MetService issued a forecast yesterday of rain for the whole country. But the heaviest falls were predicted for Bay of Plenty and the West Coast of the South Island - not the arid areas crying out for rain. In Wairarapa, where there has been no significant rain since December 8, water tanker companies have received SOS calls day and night from lifestyle-block owners and hobby farmers.

McAuley's Transport managing director Colin McAuley said demand was higher than seen in nearly a decade, with deliveries up to five times a day to some rural and coastal residences.

Rural Martinborough resident Bryony Wylie was left holding the baby without any bath water when the two tanks supplying her house ran dry last week.

"I've now got used to bucketing the bath water into the washing machine for another round of use. Water is like gold here over the summer months."

Wairarapa Properties Consultants farm adviser Phil Guscott said unless significant rain fell within the next month, local farmers would be in serious trouble.

From Waikato as far south as inland Otago, sheep and cattle trying to graze on parched paddocks were being fed limited supplies of silage and hay. Farmers without adequate supplies of supplement feed were already feeling the financial strain, with decreasing stock weights sending sale prices plummeting.

Greater Wellington regional council Wairarapa hydrologist Mike Gordon said river levels were low and restrictions had been imposed for those who siphoned water out to maintain or irrigate their own properties.

A total fire ban has been imposed in Wairarapa and Tararua and fire permits in both regions were now on hold.

As Waikanae River levels continue to fall while consumption remains high, Kapiti Coast District Council has introduced bore water to the town supply for Paraparaumu, Raumati and Waikanae. MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said the coming rain would provide "a bit of an interruption" and should pull the Auckland region out of its lengthy dry spell. But it would not bring much relief to areas such as Wairarapa, where conditions were close to drought levels. John Coveney, Wairarapa representative for Dairy Farmers of New Zealand, said the eight weeks of drought had been especially hard on farmers whose land was not irrigated. Milk yields on those farms had dropped from about 14 litres per cow per day to under 10 litres. "It's a relatively short, sharp, dry spell so far," he said, but if it continued for another month dairy farmers would effectively have to "kiss the season goodbye".

The big dry follows a parched February, in which many regions received half their normal rainfall. Wellington had just over a quarter its average February rainfall, while Auckland survived on just 13 per cent. For nine locations, it was the driest February since records began.

Dry weather is expected to continue this month. "

Enfin moi personnelement, tres egoistement, je pense que j'ai bien fait de venir en fevrier..... :D

Sinon pendant ce temps, en Australie, le sud fait aussi face a la secheresse, tandis que le nord-est a subis une violente depression et le nord-ouest (nord du WA - Newman) a affronte un cyclone la semaine derniere... plusieurs morts dans les camps provisoires des travailleurs miniers...