Southland farmers could face wetter and windier weather as El Niño lingers

Southland farmers are being warned they could face wetter and windier weather as El Niño conditions are expected to stick around into summer.

Southland's regional council figures showed five of the seven wettest Septembers on record had occurred since 2020 - records began in the 1970s.

The council's hydrology principal scientist, Chris Jenkins, said the region was likely to see more wet and windy periods with more variable temperatures.

"Although average river levels are expected to remain near normal over the three-month outlook, periods of heavy rainfall could still increase the risk of flooding," he said.

"Flooding and wetter conditions can have significant impacts on agriculture and cause increased erosion and runoff into waterways."

Earth Sciences NZ expected more westerly winds and an increased likelihood of above normal rainfall for Southland across November to January, with similar conditions forecast for south Westland and Fiordland.

The council's land sustainability manager Simon Stokes said it could make for challenging conditions for farmers as soil moisture levels remained high in parts of the region.

"Cultivation will have been on wet soils in some areas, and some farmers are going to need to break down soils further to get them prepared properly as a seed bed," Stokes said.

"There's a fair amount of variability to farmers' situations across the region currently, so one size doesn't fit all."

A rural co-ordination group, including the council, met regularly to assess conditions and coordinate support for affected farming communities.