It’s official: El Niño is here. The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) declared the official arrival of the weather event and said New Zealand will see dramatic temperature swings over the next few months, with periods of unseasonable warmth followed by sharp cold southerlies.
El Niño occurs every two to seven years on average, and episodes typically last nine to 12 months. So considering we’re in this for a while, it’s time for New Zealand to brace for a climate shift that could have far-reaching consequences. We’re looking at altered weather patterns and marine disruption. We take an in-depth look in our front-page story this month.
In other news, Lake Ōkataina, a significant and popular trout fishing spot, will be closed for boating and fishing for a month, from 1 to 31 October, as part of a precautionary approach to reduce the risk of spread from the freshwater gold clam.
The Green Party is vowing to create an independent Ocean Commission, put a green minister for oceans and fisheries in charge, and protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
Plus, this month, we have five prize packs up for grabs, with each containing a mini-sized and a full-sized Stealth Mode unscented deodorant, crafted with hunters in mind.
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We’ll be back next month, but in the meantime, you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.