Northland farmers are in for possibly more woe with weather forecasters predicting the region's dry summer will be followed by a dry winter and, then, a dry spring.
Weather boffins are predicting Northland's winter could be warmer and drier than usual, which offers little relief to Northland's west coast farmers who are experiencing their third drought in four years.
And in an extra kick, there are indications winter could be followed by an El Nino weather pattern increasing the likelihood of rain in the south and west of the country, but drier conditions in the east and north in the spring and the start of summer.
Kim Biddles, who farms 650 beef cattle on 450 hectares on the west coast south of Te Kopuru, seemed unimpressed with weather forecasters when the Advocate called to ask when he thought of the Niwa predictions.
His drought-hit farm got about 20mm of rain during Cyclone Lusi in March and 25mm since.