WELLINGTON, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- As dry weather continues in New Zealand, many regions are facing drought with water restrictions in place, said the weather watch organization on Tuesday.
According to New Zealand Climate, Freshwater and Ocean Science research institute NIWA, there are widespread, extremely dry conditions for Auckland, Northland and upper Waikato.
"There's been virtually no rainfall for many parts of Northland, less than 15 percent of their normal January rainfall. Looking over the next 15 days there is no rainfall for the whole of the North Island and many parts of the South Island," NIWA forecaster Nava Fedaeff said.
"That's one level below meteorological drought," Fedaeff said, "a couple of isolated spots, like eastern parts of Northland and Auckland, including Great Barrier Island, already have meteorological drought."
Many places have had their driest year in the record, Fedaeff added.
Climate data from New Zealand government also shows that between 1960 and 2016, rainfall levels have decreased continuously in the northern and central North Island.
Water restrictions have now been imposed in parts of Waikato, on irrigators in mid Canterbury and in Tasman.
Bushfires have occasionally broken up this summer season across New Zealand due to dry weather.
