Farmers brace for more rain as cold winds blast Bay of Plenty

Local farmers, already facing waterlogged fields due to last week's heavy rainfall, are bracing themselves for more wet weather next week.

It comes as a blast of cold air blows through the Bay of Plenty.

Temperatures were expected to fall to -1C in Rotorua this morning, while in Tauranga temperatures were predicted to drop to 4C.

Last month's weather highs and lows according to NIWA. Image / Supplied

Forecasts for the start of next week warn Bay residents of another wet week ahead with continuous rainfall expected, but not before some sunshine over the weekend.

Yesterday, MetService issued road snowfall warnings for both Desert Rd and State Highway 5 between Taupo and Napier.

Motorists were warned to expect 3 - 5cm of snow to accumulate on Desert Rd, while on State Highway 5 overnight snowfall was expected to reach 1 - 2cm of snow at elevations of 300 metres and above.

Last month, NIWA reported rainfall was "above normal" in the North Island, with levels reaching between 120 and 149 per cent more than the usual.

NIWA's Climate Summary for the month said temperatures across the country were within the average ranges for the season.

Rotorua-Taupo Federated Farmers president Colin Guyton. Photo / Andrew Warner

Rotorua-Taupo Federated Farmers president Colin Guyton said the wet weather "definitely" made life a lot harder.

"For example, on my own farm I have some paddocks that are relatively wet, and we can't go in them at the moment," Guyton said.

"It puts a bit of pressure on the rest of the farm."

Guyton said he knew a few farms around Reporoa had had serious flooding.

"One of those farms is about 80 per cent under water."

Guyton said water from rain events had a chance to drain or go down overnight, but a lot of land was still very "waterlogged".

But he said farmers were resilient and would weather the storm.

"It's funny, when we don't need the rain, it comes, and when we need it, it doesn't."

Federated Farmers executive member and Bay of Plenty president Darryl Jensen. Photo / Mead Norton

Federated Farmers executive member and Bay of Plenty president Darryl Jensen said 2022 had seen "extremely wet" winter and spring seasons.

"The last three months have meant in certain parts of the Bay our coastal flats are saturated."

Jensens said some coastal farmers had not been able to graze or grow grass.

"In those areas that were expecting to grow crop or maise, farmers can't get on the land with machinery to do any sort of cultivation work.

"It's delaying a lot of processes that we usually do this time of year."

Jensen said being late getting crops in the ground could lead to lower yields, as crops would not have had as much time to grow.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Colin Bond. Photo / NZME

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Colin Bond said as summer work on the kiwifruit vines was "just beginning", the excessive rain wouldn't have as much of an impact on the industry.

"There won't be any kiwifruit on the vines at the moment in the Bay of Plenty, just flower buds.

"Once the kiwifruit is growing, rain can affect taste, size and shape."

Kiwifruit Vine Health chief executive Leanne Stewart said spring was a high-risk time of year.

"Lots of rain can add to vine stress and provide high-risk conditions for Psa progression.

"It is just as important this season as every other for ongoing Psa protection, including a spray programme, to minimise production loss."