New Zealand may be heading into a dry winter following a month of near record-breaking dry patches across the country. So what are the flow-on effects if nature’s taps stay turned off over the cold season? The SMC asked experts to comment on how the potential dry season may affect the following sectors in New Zealand: 1. Rural communities and agriculture 2. Hydro energy production Dr Nick Cradock-Henry, Senior Scientist, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, comments: “The prospect of higher-than-average temperatures and lower rainfall than normal, for parts of the South Island, highlight again, the climate-related challenges for primary industries and rural