Unusual Weather for New Zealand by Helen McKenzie
New Zealand has been experiencing an exceptionally cold start to winter this year. Record low temperatures, unusual amounts of snow, heavy rain and storms have all been witnessed across the two islands over the last few months.
Storms battered the lower part of North Island last week. Days of torrential rain caused widespread flooding, the worst hit being Southern Wairarapa and South Taranaki. A bridge fell into the swollen Mangawhero River in the wake of the storm, which virtually isolated a small, rural community who rely heavily on the bridge. Landslides were also caused by the rain, with State Highway 4 still closed as a result. As the flood waters begin to recede, people are returning to their homes, which are covered in thick mud.
Meanwhile, the South Island has been hit by heavy snow storms over the last month or so. The very cold weather has been causing major problems for the June crops. Some vegetables are more than four times their normal price as a result. When New Zealand has experienced bad weather in the past, produce has been imported from Queensland, but the category five Cyclone Larry in March put a stop to that as well.
The good news is that the forecast for the coming week is for mainly dry conditions, with temperatures around normal for the time of year.
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