New Zealand climate scientists say a big change in Australia's national summer forecast for long-range weather patterns shouldn't affect this side of the Tasman in the same way.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology told ABC radio that it's no longer predicting an El Nino climate pattern - which often brings drought-like conditions - and that rain is expected for the summer.
The change is reported to be the biggest turnaround in projected weather patterns since records began.
On this side of the Tasman, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research scientist Brett Mullan says that the projected El Nino pattern for New Zealand's summer may also be called off, but the country won't experience the same weather conditions which brought significant rain last summer.
He says NIWA will release an updated outlook next week.
